[1] In it 12-year-old Anastasia is confronted with the challenge of her parents deciding the family is to move out of their city apartment which has become too small for their needs following the birth of Anastasia's baby brother Sam.

The book was banned at Spook Hill Elementary school's library in 2005 after a parent complained that the content, particularly Anastasia's comment about killing herself, is inappropriate.

[2] Though not one of Lowry's more popular young adult novels, the book and series did receive positive reviews upon release.

Genuinely funny, the story is a marvelously human portrait of an articulate adolescent."

Boston Globe included it in a shortlist of books recommended to help children cope with the uncertainty of moving house.