Just Like Jackie

Gr 5–8—Eleven-year-old Robbie wishes she could be more like her namesake, the great Robbie Robinson. She wishes she could let things roll off her shoulders, but she has a short fuse which keeps getting her in trouble at school. Alex, a classmate, teases Robbie for not having a mother and she winds up punching him right in the nose. This necessitates her Grandpa coming to school, which is Robbie's worst fear—she knows Grandpa is getting more forgetful with his words and actions, and she is afraid others will figure it out and take her away from the only family she has. Robbie has the weight of the world on her shoulders as she tries to take care of Grandpa without letting others know their secret—he is at his best when fixing cars and tapping the maple trees for syrup, but lately he's even having trouble doing those things. When a class project is assigned to complete a family tree, Robbie worries that it's already too late to tap Grandpa's memories and find out anything about her deceased mom. The school tries different tactics and Robbie is put into group guidance, which helps her realize even those who look like they have perfect lives may also be hiding problems. When Robbie is able to grow emotionally enough to realize family may not just be those you are related to by blood, she finally begins to open up.