Al(exandra) the Great — Constance C. Greene

It's a hot, sticky summer in New York City, but Al doesn't mind. She'll leave it all behind when she goes to visit her father and step-family on their farm. For three whole weeks she'll eat homemade ice cream, go to barn dances, and spend time with Brian, a boy she met on her last visit.

Al's best friend is happy for Al, but she can't help feeling sorry for herself. All her friends have wonderful trips planned, and she's going nowhere. But when Al's mother is hospitalized with pneumonia, Al must do some serious thinking. Should she go to the farm or stay home to care for her mother?