Akron Public Library

When her Aunt Tanner brings out a box of mementos, ten-year-old Amelia Louise McBride learns things about her family history that help her deal with such current issues as her first date and the deployment of a friend's father to Iraq.

Amelia recalls her first days at Joe McCarthy Elementary, where she attends fourth grade.

"With her new spot on the cheerleading squad, Aunt Tanner's hoards of adoring fans, and Reggie's successful mission to mold young superheroes into productive--and cool--members of society, Amelia's sailing is remarkably smooth. But when Tanner disappears, humiliated by an ex-boyfriend's tell-all book, Amelia goes into full panic mode. And when she boards a bus on an epic journey to find Tanner--with frenemy Rhonda in tow, and a little help from a...

As fourth grade comes to an end, Reggie, Rhonda, and Amelia let their imaginations soar.

When Amelia's mother inherits her aunt's house across town, Amelia imagines her life changing in devastating ways, beginning with having to leave her group of friends and join the ninjas.

Determined to conquer the ninjas and drive them out of a park, Reggie begins a campaign to recruit more members to the superhero club, G.A.S.P., which Amelia suspects is a bad idea.