Hattie Owens' summer turns upside down when she’s introduced to an uncle she’s never met. Written by
Ann M. Martin.
Provides examples of:
- Alpha Bitch: Nancy and Janet are never seen without each other and they seem to take pleasure in laughing at Hattie behind her back.
- Break the Haughty: Hayden Sr. and Harriet after Adam dies.
- Character Development: Hattie, in terms of her shyness. By the end of the summer, she gives a rousing eulogy at Adam’s funeral, effectively putting Nancy and Janet in their place, and she makes two new friends to boot.
- Coitus Interruptus: Adam and Hattie catch Angel and her boyfriend mid-coitus. Hattie mentions that visitors of the opposite sex are not allowed to visit the upstairs bedrooms.
- Coming of Age Story: Hattie does a lot of growing up over the course of the summer.
- Cool Old Lady: Miss Hagerty, one of the residents in Hattie’s family’s boarding house counts. Hattie even thinks of her as a grandmother.
- Cool Old Guy: Mr. Penny, another resident in the boarding house has a soft spot for Hattie.
- Driven to Suicide: Adam commits suicide towards the end of the book.
- Extreme Doormat: Played with in regards to Hattie’s mother Dorothy. On one hand she’s not afraid to take matters into her own hands in terms of who she marries, where she lives, and what she does to earn a living. On the other hand, Dorothy is also just as likely to seek her mother’s approval in trivial matters.
- The Fashionista: Hattie thinks of Angel as this, based on her description of her outfits. Miss Hagerty could count as this, based on the way she brainstorms style ideas for sewing Hattie a new dress.
- The Freakshow: There’s a freak show in the visiting carnival. Some of the performers are wearing costumes and makeup, but others such as Chimp Boy and Baby Tess have unspecified disorders.
- Happily Married: Hattie’s parents.
- Hidden in Plain Sight: Played with. Adam was enrolled in a residential school in Chicago for ten years. As Hattie discovers, his pictures were featured in some old family albums in her own home and she didn’t find these pictures or flip through the albums until after she was told about Adam.
- I Need a Freaking Drink: According to Hattie, in the months following the funeral, Hayden Sr. will promptly reach for a bottle of vermouth if anyone says Adam’s name out loud.
- It's Always Sunny at Funerals: Adam’s funeral was held on a sunny day. One character lampshades this by saying weather for funerals is always sunny or rainy.
- Known Only by Their Nickname: Hattie was named for her grandmother, Harriet, but no one calls her by her full first name, presumably to avoid confusion.
- Last Episode, New Character: Catherine and her brother and newly widowed mother move into the Owens’ boarding house towards the end of the book.
- Leaning on the Fourth Wall: Hattie narrates after collecting her newest stack of library books that there aren’t any literary characters that share her first name.
- Long-Lost Relative: Adam. He’s not so much lost, but institutionalized for ten years while his existence was kept hidden from Hattie.
- Maiden Aunt: Miss Hagerty never married or had children. But she states that she has had her fair share of boyfriends in her youth.
- My Beloved Smother: Harriet, to the point where it extends to Hattie. Eventually, Hattie tells her that she has no authority over her.
- Old Money: Its implied that Dorothy's side of the family is this.
- Open Secret: As Hattie learns, most of the adults from her parents and grandparents generations in town knew about Adam but no one, including Miss Hagerty, made any mention that they knew or remembered Adam until Hattie asked.
- Outliving One's Offspring: Hayden Senior and Harriet both outlive Adam
- Parents as People: Jonathan and Dorothy mean well, but Hattie lampshades that they’re hesitant to ask any questions, they’re not very good at initiating conversations with tough topics, and they seldom stand up to her grandparents.
- Quirky Household: The Owens’ boarding house with all of their colorful residents qualify.
- Satellite Character: Hattie’s best friend, Betsy, doesn’t get much characterization or play an important part in the plot, as she’s on vacation with her family.
- Shout-Out: Hattie mentions Shirley Temple, The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, and I Love Lucy.
- Slave to PR: Hattie thinks of her grandparents as this.
- Socially Awkward Hero: Hattie gets along better with adults than most kids her age, and once expressed relief because she was too sick to go to a school dance.
- Starving Artist: Jonathan paints and makes short movies in addition to running the boarding house with Dorothy, but her parents would rather he get a real job.
- Textile Work Is Feminine: Miss Hagerty is a talented seamstress-even showering Hattie with customized blouses and dresses.
- Title Drop: Done by Adam.
- Upper-Class Twit: Hayden Sr. isn’t that bad, but Harriet really takes the cake.
- Uptown Girl: Hattie’s parents play this trope straight. It also overlaps with Dating What Daddy Hates because Dorothy's parents don’t approve of Jonathan being a painter.
