| Contents |
Lucky girl -- The first step -- Orange you glad you're here? -- Are you there, God? It's me, Carley -- I should have licked the anthill -- Lettuce pray -- Upward and all around -- Wake up and smell the apple juice -- What a clip -- A genie, fresh rolls, and a penguin -- High tops girl from the planet Oblivion -- Thou art a wing nut -- You have the right to remain silent -- There's no crying in baseball -- Birds of a feather -- If I throw a stick, will you go away? -- Bad to worse to unthinkable -- Long night -- Paige turner -- Wilting Chamberlain -- Murphy's Law -- House of mirrors -- Truth hurts, huh? -- Bagged -- Mrs. Murphy's big idea -- Walk off loss -- Irish abyss -- Must ... get ... out ... now -- Friend or fiend? -- Sunk by the bell -- If you're going to lie to yourself, be convincing -- Reservations for one -- Out on a limb -- Defying gravity -- Order on the court! -- Late-night surprise -- Sinking feelings and other plumbing problems -- When you care enough to send the very worst -- Summon the book eater -- Ironing the wrinkles in -- Mind over matter -- Back against the wall -- Pals spelled backwards -- Playing with fire -- On the line -- The giving ... Uh, I mean ... The living tree -- One for the Murphys -- Soft place to land -- Someone's hero -- A great and terrible thing. |
| Abstract |
Twelve-year-old Carley Connors can take a lot. Growing up in Las Vegas with her fun-loving mother, she's learned to be tough. But she never expected a betrayal that would land her in a foster care. When she's placed with the Murphys, a lively family with three boys, she's blindsided. Do happy families really exist? Carley knows she could never belong in their world, so she keeps her distance. It's easy to stay suspicious of Daniel, the brother who is almost her age and is resentful she's there. But Mrs. Murphy makes her feel heard and seen for the first time, and the two younger boys seem determined to work their way into her heart. Before she knows it, Carley is protected the boys from a neighborhood bully and even teaching Daniel how to play basketball. Then just when she's feeling like she could truly be one of the Murphys, news from her mother shakes her world. |
| Interest age level |
Ages 10-14. |
| Audience |
520 Lexile |
| Study program note |
Accelerated Reader AR |
| Study program note |
Reading Counts RC |
| Awards note | Virginia Young Readers Award, 2015. |
| LCCN | 2011046708 |
| ISBN | 9780399256158 (hbk.) |
| ISBN | 0399256156 (hbk.) |
| ISBN | 9780142426524 |
| ISBN | 0142426520 |
