Osamljena trinajstletnica Laura Chartoff je žrtev neuspelih zakonov svojih staršev. Živi z neobčutljivim očimom, ki ga zanima samo služba, in z živčno mamo, ki se preveč ukvarja sama s seboj. Ko se Laura nekega dne spre z mamo in očimom, pobegne od doma in s tem povzroči, da jo začne njena številčna in nadvse odštekana družina iskati.
Laura's parents divorced when she was eight. Now, at thirteen, she lives with her mother, her stepfather, two stepbrothers, a stepsister, and a half-brother. She used to visit her father, stepmother (third stepmother) and half-sister, but now *another* divorce is in the works, so Laura visits her father and his pregnant girlfriend -- who's only six years older than she is. Who should she feel loyalty to? And is it any wonder she wants to run away from home?