Ernestine is too fat and acts like she can play the piano better than anyone—at least that's what Amanda thinks.

Amanda is stuck-up and has a big mouth—Ernestine knows that's true.

And to top it all off, Ernestine has stolen Amanda's best friend. There's no way Ernestine and Amanda will ever be friends. No way.

Music lessons, church, the Delta Sigma Theta Jabberwock, a party, a piano competition, and the truly gross fact that Ernestine's brother is dating Amanda's sister keep bringing the two girls together. And somehow they don't end up hating each other as much as they expected.

As they go through fifth grade, Ernestine and Amanda find out more and more about each other, and about themselves. They're not friends. But they're not quite enemies either. They're something in-between, and they are growing up together.