Lorrie Hollander lives with her unstable aunt Gigi in a decrepit eyesore of a mansion called Edgewater, but when Charlie, the son of an esteemed senator, takes an interest in Lorrie she is ashamed of her lifestyle until she learns Charlie's family is hiding something too, and that their secrets are inextricably tied.

When a classmate makes fun of her name, eight-year-old Stella picks a new one for herself, but discovers that the name she abandoned suits her just fine.

"Stella and her family have special plans to celebrate her ninth birthday but everything changes when Stella falls and breaks her leg at school"--

"Eight-year-old Stella finds it is not easy or fun to keep secrets. The first secret is keeping her sister, Penny, from discovering that her pet fish has died and been replaced with a new fish. The second secret involves a school assignment which Stella cannot share even with her best friend"--Provided by the publisher.