Seventh-grader, Tobin Macauley, does not have a perfect family. After the death of his mother, his father, his brother and his sister have drifted into their own worlds, and no one cooks or cleans or acts as though they're part of a family. His grandmother is in a class by herself, getting arrested as she takes Tobin to the first day of school. How does a guy make sense of a life like this? Well, he makes a friend, and together they enter into the world of the chicken. Humor and learning go hand in hand in this heart-reaching story. Ages 9-12 205 pages