Zoe Bowie loves many things-her best friend, Taylor Pie; the color purple; and forming pictures that tell stories from what she sees in the clouds. She sometimes tries to write them down, but her baby brother, Meatball, eats them. Now she simply sings them. As if the frustration of an annoying baby brother weren't enough, Zoe faces many problems that inspire her into a fit of her "mean reds." Her mother is diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, and she is forced to move away from her dear best friend. Zoe Bowie has a lot on her plate. As her journey continues, though, she learns about the blessings that have come from her family and her mother's sickness. She starts out singing the blues, but she ends up singing a different tune-one of gratitude.