Fourteen-year-old Tucker Pierce and his newly divorced mother Jeannie are forced to move in with Jeannie s older sister Claire, a prim perfectionist whose oversized and loutish 15-year-old son Leon harasses Tucker. The only ray of hope for Tucker beams from next door where McKenna resides, a savvy classmate who taunts, teases and inspires him. Other characters include easygoing Uncle Jimmy.