Zoe and her mom have moved to Pittsburgh after Zoe’s father, a police officer, was killed in a bank robbery. The apartment building she and her mom share with an African Studies professor at the University of Pittsburgh is painted a hideous green color, so Zoe dubs it ‘Green Gables’. For her thirteenth birthday, Zoe is presented with Paki, an African Gray parrot, and on a trip to the vet, she meets and develops a crush on Toby, the boy next door. When a burglar breaks into Zoe’s apartment a few days later, she and Toby team up to catch him, and their adventures are filled with a little mystery, a little adventure, and yes, a little romance for Zoe and Toby.

I have to admit: I’m a little biased in my adoration of this book, as it’s set in my hometown and I love that Carol Coffey was able to include so many aspects of Pittsburgh into her story. Zoe is a great little character, brave and determined and strong and uncertain, all at the same time, and reminds me a lot of my own little sister.