. . . and fifth grade is turning out to be a bad one for Alice. Her teacher, Mrs. Swick, never smiles. A good friend moves away. Her plan to find a stepmother is a total failure. And then something happens that's so terrible it makes Alice mad at the entire world.

But then her brother, Lester, breaks his leg, and Alice discovers she feels much better when she stops feeling sorry for herself and starts helping him. The old Alice is back -- just in time for the biggest surprise of all.