Harvey Beaumont stems from an unusual marriage—his father and mother are still married, but his father lives out in the country, while his mother raises and cares for a horde of Irish Setters in the middle of New York City. It is the first of many examples of irony which Wersba employs. Harvey is a classic latch-key kid, his condition being made even more pronounced by the fact that his mother ignores him even when he is at home. He is a somber teenager, unable to see beyond his miserable situation, except in his daydreams, until he meets a twenty-year-old aspiring actress. Her aplomb and sass are a balm to Harvey's wounded, neglected emotions, and he begins to know and experience joy.

Harvey is a young adult who is desperately trying to find his place in the world, by finding adults to...