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Fourteen-year-old Sarah Zorn intends to spend the summer with her "boyfriend" Curtis, waiting for a dead calf to decompose in time for the science fair. Her plans are upended when her fake-boyfriend strategy goes awry just as her hippie Grandma Z invites her on a last-minute Roman holiday. As Sarah explores Italy´s ancient wonders, she can´t stop "boy-liking" Curtis . . . or puzzling over her grandmother´s odd behavior. Sarah must learn to navigate the murky waters of first love, friendship, and family with heart and good humor.

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"Fourteen-year-old Sarah discovers first love and family secrets in this sweet-as-a-cookie Dairy Queen companion for slightly younger readers."- Kirkus Reviews

"A sweet story about family and love, which should appeal to tween readers of Wendy Mass."- Booklist

"[A] funny and sweet coming-of-age story from the author of Dairy Queen . . . [Sarah´s] narrative voice, a winning blend of humor, enthusiasm, and insecurity, will resonate strongly with tween girls, and the journal format will also appeal."- School Library Journal

"Sarah´s voice is tart and inquisitive, and her observations make the pilgrimage come alive."- The Horn Book Magazine

"Sarah tells her story in the form of journal entries, and her voice is authentically tween as she tries to sort through the complicated turns her life is taking. . . . Give this to fans of Frances O´Roark Dowell and the younger siblings of those who enjoyed the Dairy Queen trilogy."- The Bulletin of the Center for Children´s Books

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Catherine Gilbert Murdock, author of six acclaimed novels, is an avid reader. Of books that aren´t for grownups. She lives with her husband, two children and several cats outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Visit her website at www.catherinemurdock.com .

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