What Would Joey Do? — Jack Gantos

"Do my parents seem unusual to you?"

When his dad roars into town, the sparks fly between Joey Pigza's long-separated parents. His ailing grandmother is certain that all the feuding (and flirting) will unleash a series of terrible events on the Pigza household. Fading fast, she wants Joey to find a life outside the family, proving he will be all right once she is gone.

"You know, Joey," Grandma said, "you gotta make some friends." "I have Pablo," I said.
"Pablo is a dog," she replied.

To put his grandmother at ease, Joey tries to make a friend of Olivia Lapp -- his blind, bratty homeschooling partner -- who only gets meaner the more Joey tries to please her. But Joey's not the type to give up on anyone in his life, even as his grandmother's predictions of Pigza family disaster come true.

"I want to help every one be nice. That 's all I want to do. That's my whole thing now. I'm Mr. Helpful."