Jesse Oliver Aarons, Jr.

The protagonist, Jesse Oliver Aarons, or "Jess," is ten years old. He lives in a quiet farming community just outside of Washington D.C. He is the middle child of five children and the only boy. He is a fifth grader at Lark Creek Elementary. While his family is not poor, they are struggling to make ends meet.

Jess suffers from middle child syndrome, worsened by his status as the only male child. His two older sisters dominate his parents' attention, while his youngest sister, as the baby, gets the lion's share of affection. With his father gone most of the day, Jess is expected to be the man of the house, doing chores while his sisters are busy being either teenagers or children.

Jess is desperate for love and recognition. To this end, he will pursue goals likely to earn him praise and avoid...