A homespun family led by a single mom tries to get by, but teenage daughter Dorothy Jane isn't thrilled when her mom's forced to take in a border to make ends meet.

Dorothy Jane hopes for a fairy-tale resolution to a school-dance, but she has no dress, no date, and Riley, her Prince Charming next door, seems oblivious.

Millicent deems it necessary to be regularly employed, giving Dorothy Jane the job of looking after the other kids.

A blackmailing Ruth Ann reveals Dorothy Jane's private poems of passion to the world, but the unveiling ends up emboldening lovelorn Dorothy Jane.

Dorothy Jane resolves to become the kind of girl who makes guys melt, and she looks to the school's resident ice princess for guidance.

Never was there a story of more woe (except maybe one) than of Dorothy Jane's trial playing Juliet in the school play opposite her Romeo, Riley Roberts.