It tells the story of high school student Tish Bonner through journal entries assigned throughout the year by her English teacher, Mrs. Dunphrey, and follows her as her life slowly begins to spin out of control through familial and social troubles.

She works hard to embody her characters when writing and while she had a happy childhood, she was able to draw on newspaper reporting she had done with abused children.

She has a part-time job at the local "Burger Boy" restaurant and lives with her brother Matt and their mother while their father is absent, presumed to have left the family.

She talks casually about her friend Sandy's shoplifting habit and Bud Turner, Tish's co-worker who attempted to ask her on a date.

On Christmas Eve, he hands out fancy presents while dressed as Santa Claus, which causes Tish to go over the edge and snap at him.

She can't increase her hours at work after Bud Turner is promoted to manager, spitefully cuts back Tish's wages, and then fires her.

Tish begins shoplifting food from her mother's workplace to survive, sending back bills only half-paid, and looking for a new job, although no one is hiring.