Roger hates the third grade. Dealing with bullies, incompetent teachers, and tyrannical administrators is bad enough. Worse still he loses his parents. All Roger wants is some stability and a place to call home. He gets his wish when his best friend Tommy's family takes him in. His relief is temporary, however, as the family has problems of its own. Led by an angry Pomeranian and by a former professor obsessed with conspiracy theories and shopping, the family is always in trouble. Repo men lurk around every corner. Notices from the government clog the mailbox and court summonses decorate the front door. There is never enough money for anything--except for the weekly, circuitous tour of the outer boroughs, a shopping spree, and a quick stop at a fancy restaurant. Now the family might lose its house with no place to go. Determined to save their home, Roger and Tommy hatch a number of schemes. There's the candy selling scheme, the organic lemonade stand, and the bank robbery. Will they succeed?