In 1969, twelve-year-old Mike is forced to spend the entire summer at a cottage on a small lake in Michigan with his ancient aunt and uncle. Most days are spent pursuing adventure with his buddies, seeking to emulate their son, a tough Marine in Vietnam, but when the Marine son is declared Missing In Action, Mike’s vision of government, God, and his own life is shattered. His joy-filled expeditions into the wild become pointless in the light of his cousin’s sacrifice. However, when Mike learns that the father of the girl-next-door has a violent secret, Mike knows exactly what to do. Bravery and manhood are merely doing what he knows he should do. Of course, the story is about Mike, but it is also about a unique time and a wondrous place viewed through the enchantment of a 12-year-old’s imagination. We hear wild stories of manly exaggeration, but his painfully written journal takes us inside a crumbling, fragile heart. It is the summer of his life, and sometimes it takes tears to let in the joy.
