—An ALA Notable Book
—A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year

Daunted by the hand he has been dealt, 12-year-old Horatio Tuckerman is having a tough time. Two years ago, his dad died of lung cancer. Embittered and anguished, Horatio's life has been a whirlwind of change since losing his best friend. A one-time city kid, Horatio now lives in a small Wisconsin town.
His grandfather O.P. (the Old Professor) has moved in and taken over his bedroom.

Even worse, his mother Evie, a dentist, is dating a guy nicknamed 'Pink Gums Paul.'

Remarkably, with the help of O.P. and others, Horatio begins to see that he can get through rough times by accepting life on life's terms—realizing that 'life's a funny proposition, after all.' Author Barbara Garland Polikoff invites young adults on a journey from grief to peace.