Ambrose Bukowski and his mom have moved frequently to various college towns throughout Canada. She is a per-course instructor with hopes that she can get a permanent position. As that doesn't pan out and Ambrose repeatedly finds difficulty in settling in, they move on.

Ambrose is actually a pretty good kid. He has gone his whole life without knowing his father, who died of a brain aneurism while Ambrose's mom was still pregnant. He is a bit on the quirky side, but he is essentially a good kid. Unfortunately, other kids have a hard time warming up to him.

This is most evident as Ambrose and his mom are living in their newest home. The Three Stooges, tough kids who pick on Ambrose, don't believe he has a peanut allergy and sneak a peanut into his sandwich. After a short stint in the hospital, it is decided that Ambrose will be schooled through correspondence courses.

While he has a tough time connecting with his peers, Ambrose has warmed up to the older couple who own the house in which he and his mother are renting an apartment. He and his mom are often invited over from dinner. In fact, Mrs. and Mr. E say he reminds them of their youngest son Cosmo. Mrs. E tears up every time she talks about Cosmo, leading Ambrose and his mom to believe he is dead.

That proves not to be the case when the 25-year-old Cosmo arrives back home after just being released from prison. At first, Cosmo and Ambrose find themselves distant and argumentative, but a shared interest in Scrabble draws them closer. They end up becoming good friends and join the local Scrabble Club despite the fact that Ambrose's mom has forbid it.

His mom truly cares about Ambrose and may be overprotective of him. Cosmo's past makes him someone she simply can't trust even as the guys seem to be positive influences on each other.

Overall, the characters are basically average people. Ambrose himself is a bit on the naive side, but that seems to fit with his personality, which is likely what separates him from his peers. Despite the fact that he lost his father at such a young age (prenatal, actually), he has had a fairly sheltered life with his mom has is one and only friend.

There is a definitely a cuteness factor to the story, but it is a nice fun read. It builds predictably to a happier ending, but sometimes that is just what a reader wants. This novel does that nicely.