Katie is forced to break into her own apartment after realizing she has forgotten her keys. In adjacent panels, an unnamed figure in a costume with a long tail can be seen breaking into a different window. Once inside, Katie reads a note from her mom saying that she is at work and didn’t have time to get groceries; Katie should take money from the “Fun Fund” if she is hungry. Katie goes downstairs to Mr. B’s bodega with a measly amount of pocket change and has Mr. B make her a PB&J sandwich. While she eats, a news report about a fire at the New You Cosmetics factory plays in the background. Police Chief Pardo is interviewed about the fire, and a superhero named the Eastern Screech interrupts and claims the fire was likely because someone thought the building was “ugly.” The reporter disagrees with him. Hundreds of bunny rabbits can be seen on the ground around her and the police chief.

Later that night, Katie calls her best friend, Bethany, and tells her about the news report. She suggests that the bunnies must have been used by the cosmetics factory in some sort of animal testing. She calls the Eastern Screech “dumb,” and jokes about how their friend Jess has a crush on him. They end the call talking about how they are going to miss each other over the summer but will write to one another every day. As Katie laments that “nothing ever happens around here,” a mysterious figure with a long tail can be seen sneaking into an apartment two floors above her (7). The next morning, Katie’s mom returns home from work with spicy jalapeno poppers for breakfast. As Katie begins to tell her about the news report, her mom falls asleep on the couch, exhausted. Katie tucks her in and kisses her forehead.

The next day, Katie’s art teacher gushes about the Eastern Screech, and incorrectly credits him with saving the rabbits from the fire. As she rambles on, Katie and her friends, Bethany and Jess, talk about the upcoming summer holidays. Jess excitedly talks about summer camp, but Bethany tells her to stop because Katie cannot afford to go with them. They suggest that Katie could go for just one of the four weeks, and that Bethany’s mom would even pay for it. Katie ignores the offer. Instead, she decides she will try to earn the money doing chores for people around her apartment building.

Her first client is an older man who offers her $2 a bag to help him carry his groceries to the sixth floor. The man then runs up the stairs carrying nearly all of the bags himself while Katie struggles with a single bag. In the end, he gives her a dollar for getting the bag halfway. Mrs. Bell hires her to water her plants for the rest of the week. She offers $10 a day. She has a variety of plants that all have different watering requirements, and though Katie tries her best, she gets the instructions mixed up and the plants begin to wilt.

On the last day of school, Katie admits to Bethany and Jess that her summer camp fund isn’t going very well. She heads home with Bethany, and they discuss the free things she’ll be able to do around New York while Jess and Bethany are at camp. At Bethany’s house, Bethany’s mom offers to pay for Katie to go to camp for a week, but Katie insists she will earn the money herself. That night, Katie and Bethany dye their hair a matching color and are thrilled with the results. The next morning, before they say goodbye, Bethany gives Katie a set of markers to use when writing postcards, and they agree to write to one another every day. While they say their goodbyes, Bethany’s dad reads the newspaper and informs everyone that a supervillain named the Mousetress has burned down another factory.

Katie, resolved to earn the money for a week of camp, collects some cleaning supplies and goes knocking door-to-door for clients. She has no luck and tears down her advertisement poster in frustration.

At the bodega, Katie complains to Mr. B that it’s not fair that she can’t go to camp. As they talk, Mr. B’s cat, Scratch-Off, attacks another customer, forcing Mr. B to wrestle him off the man. As this is happening, a third customer, Madeline, walks in. Scratch-Off immediately jumps at her, but instead of attacking her, cuddles happily in her arms. Katie goes to pet Scratch-Off. Madeline warns Katie not to because he isn’t a friendly cat. However, Scratch-Off purrs and jumps onto Katie’s shoulders, surprising Madeline. Before leaving, Katie asks Mr. B for a job. He declines, but says he’ll hire her once she’s 15. Madeline overhears the conversation and appears to have an idea.