Eleven year old Johnnie is determined to be adopted and have melodramatic adventures like the heroine in her favorite mawkish novel.

Joanna Carr, Katy's youngest sister, is the star of this short story which takes place chronologically between the books, 'What Katy Did At School' and 'What Katy Did Next'. It is the first story in Susan Coolidge's short story collection, 'Nine Little Goslings' (1875). It is the only Carr family story in the collection.