The novel shows how the transition from childhood to adolescence comes with significant changes in physical appearance, personal relationships, and self-perception. At the age of 12, Zach, Poppy, and Alice are all experiencing these changes in differing ways. Since the age of 10, Alice has “gotten curves, and started looking a lot older than she was” (8-9). Boys hassle and make fun of her; even Zach has begun seeing her differently. Alice has also recently developed a crush on Zach, which she is reluctant to voice. Her strange behavior confuses him; he believes that a year ago, boys and girls spoke “the same language” (36). Now it seems like “girls [speak] a different language” (36).

Zach feels that his external appearance no longer matches how he feels on the inside. His growth spurt has garnered respect from male peers and the giggling attention of his female classmates. His height has also given him an advantage on the basketball court, which has fostered more acceptance from his teammates. When he’s approached for a secret handshake shared by the basketball team, he “[feels] the warm buzz of belonging” every time (18). However, he sometimes wishes he can revert back to the comfortable familiarity of what used to be.