When Milo and his dad and sister move to yet another house and he must go to yet another school, he is sure he will be a failure again - the 'King of Klutz'. But there is something else about Milo that makes life difficult, and it is only gradually that we find out what that is. His mum has died from a brain tumour, and his dad has reacted to this by removing everything in the house that was hers - everything that might bring on memories. It is odd that such a serious subject can be approached with humour, but Milo, who tells his own story, tells it with typical American lightness of touch (and lots of interspersed cartoons). When the occasional very serious moments occur, they are all the more effective. Milo isn't terribly good at making new relationships, so when he develops a crush on a schoolmate, who doesn't know he's alive, we know there is trouble ahead, and when nice girl next door, Hillary, tries to be friendly, he doesn't know when he's on to a good thing. However, he does find a soul mate in Marshall, and his friendship is important. Milo has managed to compartmentalise his life to such an extent that he finds it difficult to even mention his mother, and it is only when he becomes close to the old lady across the road that he begins to know that he must cherish his memories of his mother, and with the help of Marshall and Hillary he begins to make a start. When he and his dad and sister can put back pictures and other things that remind them of mum, they can become a family again - a family of three rather than four, but nevertheless, a family. Very moving and believable, Milo's story is of a boy one would like to know.