Sweetness, one of eight orphans living with a man who is an unconventional housekeeper, learns to read and writes an important letter to improve their situation.
As if coming up with a school project at the last minute is not enough trouble, Zeke also has to deal with his cousin Sam--who is just too perfect to be completely believable.
Zeke wants to bring home the class hamster, so to prove that he is responsible he promises his mother that he will take care of the family dog for a whole week--after that it is one disaster after another.