Reviewed by JodiG. for TeensReadToo.com

Summers are some of the happiest and most memorable times of year. But what happens when a series of black clouds threaten to darken your sunny days?

Eleven-year-old Gordie McAllister is already off to a great summer. His days are spent hanging out with the neighborhood kids and playing baseball. His game is at its best, his best friend is with him, and there's a girl. Before long though, the harsh reality of life will begin to interfere with his carefree awareness of the world.

Gordie's best friend is Jimmy, a tough-talking kid with an independent streak. Gordie knows that Jimmy has a rough family life and that Jimmy's dad is a well-known bully. What he didn't know was just how mean Jimmy's dad can get, and that Jimmy and his mother are the most frequent targets of his aggression. It only takes one whispered moment for Gordie to realize the gravity of the situation.

Gordie will also find that his own home life is falling into shambles when his dad moves out, leaving him alone with his mom and little sister. And, while he doesn't yet understand why, Gordie's mother is becoming increasingly distracted with her own worries.

As these two families reach their own pivotal moments they will come together to teach each other about friendship, support, and the dark side of the human spirit.

Roger Maunder has written a novel which vividly captures the innocence of childhood in 1970's Newfoundland and the dark reality of growing up and growing aware. ( )