When Andy West's parents get divorced, the plucky 10-year-old is left without a home to call her own. Both her parents have remarried, and Andy finds herself shuttling back and forth between their houses--one week with Mom and "Bill the Baboon," one week with Dad and Carrie. Living out of a suitcase is tough, but having five new stepbrothers and stepsisters is even tougher.
Her parents say Andy should be happy to have two wonderful new families. But Andy wants her old family back. She wants to live with her Mom and Dad in their beloved Mulberry Cottage. Andy knows that's not going to happen, though, because real life isn't a fairy tale.