Alice experiences the joys and embarrassments of seventh grade while advising her father and older brother on their love lives.

While trying to survive seventh grade, Alice discovers that turning thirteen will make her the Woman of the House at home, so she starts a campaign to get more appreciated for taking care of her father and older brother.

Fourth-grader Alice tries unsuccessfully to avoid embarrassing mistakes and to establish better relations with her older brother Lester. Can someone die of embarrassment? Everything seems to go wrong for Alice: whether it's being seen in her underpants by Donald Sheavers from next door or saying dumb things in class. Worst of all, she's managed to get Lester really mad at her. Will life ever get any easier? Fourth grade can't end soon enough for Alice!...

The summer before she enters the seventh grade becomes the summer of Alice's first boyfriend, and she discovers that love is about the most mixed-up thing that can possibly happen to you, especially since she has no mother to go to for advice.

Eighth-grader Alice has lots of questions about sex, relationships, prejudice, and change.

Fifth grade is tumultuous for Alice as she tries to help others through the many changes occurring at home and in school, including learning about sex when Rosalind gets her period and shares a book that explains what is happening.

Thirteen-year-old Ted and his older brother, Nory, have always been a team until the summer family problems make them reevaluate their relationship and their expectations of each other.

When boys start dropping from rafters and Grandmother worries about kelpies and Wee Folk, Jean is sure she will never get used to life on the farm.