Ruby, her little brother, Pete, and their mother have moved to California following the sudden absence of Ruby and Pete's father. Her mother is reluctant to explain her father's disappearance, so Ruby, who loves movies and dreams of becoming a famous screenwriter, rationalizes his absence with dramatic scenarios involving accidents or undercover work for the CIA. A straight-A student, Ruby is paired for a seventh-grade project with Big Skinny and Mouse, two boys whom Ruby regards as morons. Intending to spend the summer writing her screenplay, Ruby winds up working off a community service sentence with Big Skinny and Mouse after the three are caught during a prank involving graffiti. Ruby is humiliated, insisting her part was due completely to "extenuating circumstances." As if that's not enough, Ruby must also cope with a landlady who walks around with her parrot, Lord Byron, perched upon her head, and her mother's boss, who seems to be spending more and more time with Ruby's mother. Author Theresa Nelson does an outstanding job of intercutting the day-to-day story with snippets of Ruby's screenplay. She also shows a deft hand at balancing the funny, sad, and ultimately touching story of a young girl learning to accept sometimes-complicated realities. (Linda Ruble, Children's Literature)

John and Patricia Beatty Award Finalist, 2004