Ambrose's peanut allergy plus some relentless bullies equals being yanked from a Vancouver school by his single mom, who still mourns the sudden death of his father many years ago. Ambrose has no friends, only the kindly Greek couple who rent their basement apartment to his mom. When their son Cosmo bursts back on the scene after being in prison, Ambrose's mom freaks as this is just one more potential danger in their life. However, Ambrose and Cosmo build a secret alliance involving cute girls, Scrabble, and self-defense. But Cosmo's life as an ex-con is not so peaceful when old "friends" reenter his world demanding what he owes them...

This is a great book for older elementary/middle schoolers. Ambrose experiences a lot of personal development and growth as a result of having more caring adults in his life, despite their prison records (or lack thereof). It's a humorous Canadian novel with a lot of heart - recommend with Susan Juby's Alice, I Think to anyone needing young misfits coming of age with a splash of hijinks and mayhem.