From the author of the popular Babysitter's Club series and Belle Teal, which was named the best book of 2001 by Publishers Weekly and Child Magazine.
 
Hattie Owen enjoys the familiarity of her small-town life, but during the summer when she turns 12, her world is turned upside down with the arrival of an uncle no one has ever spoken about. Now that his "school," an institution for the mentally disabled, is closing, Hattie's family must deal with a childlike young man whose existence they've denied for years. And she experiences a summer that expands her world in the most unpredictable ways.
 
"Hearts will go out to both Hattie and Adam as they step outside the confines of their familiar world to meet some painful challenges."—Publishers Weekly, starred review
 
"Martin's voice for Hattie is likable, clear, and consistent; her prose doesn't falter. A solid, affecting read."—Kirkus Reviews
 
"Wonderfully real characters and an engrossing plot . . . evocative."—School Library Journal, starred review