Blessed -- or cursed, depending on her mood -- with an active mind, incessant curiosity, and uncontrollable nosiness, Ellen Fremedon is not looking forward to another summer. Her best friend, Jenny, is going away to art school, and none of their usual projects seem like much fun anymore. Plus, Ellen, now 13 years old, has developed a bit of an attitude, and she isn't thrilled at being left behind with the boring folks in Partridge Cove. The possibilities are far from enticing: Spend time with her obnoxious little twin brothers? Read to brats in the summer reading program at the library? Take on more chores at home now that their housekeeper has left and multiple sclerosis confines Mrs. Fremedon to a wheelchair? To add insult to injury, Ellen is corralled into visiting a bunch of seniors at Peacehaven, the local retirement home, where she meets her match in Mr. Martin -- a blind, rude, old man who is even crankier than Ellen. Can it get any worse? In this lively novel, award-winning author Joan Givner explores serious issues -- including family dysfunction, single parenthood, and disability -- through humor, surprise, and one of the most appealing main characters in contemporary young adult fiction.