As described by the author, 10-year-old Raina is immersed in the hectic, complex world of a budding fifth grader in San Francisco. Besides the physical and emotional issues that emerge, Raina’s existence is on the cusp of change. The living arrangement she has always known, sharing a bedroom first with her sister and then her baby brother, is on the way to becoming inadequate. Her parents recognize that their tween daughter will soon become a young woman, and to provide her with privacy and personal space, they cordon off a portion of their own bedroom as a stopgap. Even this change proves insufficient when Raina’s grandmother temporarily moves into the tiny apartment. Her parents work diligently to accommodate the wishes of their children. Raina notes that this sometimes results in chaos, as when the five family members sit down to supper, each eating a different meal. The author suggests this backdrop may be unsustainable mainly because Raina and her siblings are growing.

Beyond her home situation, Raina is now at the top of the elementary school ladder. Her fifth-grade teacher has creative expectations for everyone in her class and expresses particularly heightened expectations for Raina, whom he has taught before. On those occasions when she visits her physician, Raina receives notice that changes are afoot for her biologically.