Pay Attention, Carter Jones | Gary D. Schmidt

It's Carter's first day of middle school, and there's chaos in the Jones household. His little sisters are fussing, there's no milk, his mom is frantic, and the Jeep won't start. And then then the doorbell rings. Carter opens the door to find a bowler-hatted English butler standing on the stoop.

Carter isn't expecting the Butler to stay and help the family, though they need help. Nor is he prepared for the Butler's high standards, or his determination to introduce Carter to the baffling, complicated sport called cricket. Rising to the challenge, Carter and his friends learn the game, teams are formed, and soon the whole school is involved. But Carter hasn't begun to face his oven greater challenge: ignoring a painful secret he keeps hidden, even from himself.