In Moose in the Middle, Shawna Moore, the heroine of Ms. Richardson's first young adult novel, chronicles the summer before her senior year of high school. Aspiring to be a lawyer and a writer, Shawna takes a summer job in a Philadelphia law firm. Meanwhile, Shawna's grandmother, Nan, has died, leaving Shawna's father, her Aunt Joanie, and her ailing but feisty great-grandmother to cope with the death. Shawna's mother and Aunt Joanie co-chair their thirtieth high school reunion, and Aunt Joanie seems disturbed at the reappearance of two old high school chums, one of whom has found success as a writer. Shawna wonders why, and also wonders about the sadness surrounding her grandmother's family. While helping her great-grandmother, Shawna and her cousin, Sharon, find old journals left by their deceased grandmother. Reading Nan's journals helps Shawna better understand her family and appreciate how far they've come.