Peter Lee is a paleontology-obsessed eleven-year-old; his parents approve of his hobby/life goal because it's scientific, but his mom is more focused on his extra-brainy younger sister, L.B. (for "Little Beast"), making sure she has plenty of "enrichment" activities (and overlooking the fact that she's still a little kid). Peter and L.B. are very close with their grandparents, who live nearby, but Peter has noticed that Hammy is beginning to be forgetful; he starts keeping notes about his observations, and when his dinosaur dream doesn't pan out, he uses skills from paleontology to help his grandmother stay in her home a little longer.

See also: The Sea in Winter by Christine Day, Merci Suárez Changes Gears by Meg Medina

Quotes

"A parent's job is to force their children to do things they don't want to do." (Mom, 80)

"Grandparent's job is to make grandchildren happy!" (Hammy to Mom, 137)

"You can manage your asthma - it shouldn't manage you. I don't think one small setback should stop you from fulfilling a lifelong dream." (Mom to Peter, 228)

"Sometimes dreams change a little." (Haji to Peter, 266)

Sometimes things sound good in theory but, in reality, they don't work. That's why scientists have to do trials and experiments. (272)

"Sometimes you need others to believe in you before you can believe in yourself." (LB to Peter, 292) ( )