Synopsis:

It’s the summer of 1994 in Claypot, Wisconsin, and the lives of ten-year-old Fischer “Fish” Branson and Dale “Bread” Breadwin are shaped by the two fathers they don’t talk about.

One night, tired of seeing his best friend bruised and terrorized by his no-good dad, Fish takes action. A gunshot rings out and the two boys flee the scene, believing themselves murderers. They head for the woods, where they find their way onto a raft, but the natural terrors of Ironsforge gorge threaten to overwhelm them.

Four adults track them into the forest, each one on a journey of his or her own. Fish’s mother Miranda, a wise woman full of fierce faith; his granddad, Teddy, who knows the woods like the back of his hand; Tiffany, a purple-haired gas station attendant and poet looking for connection; and Sheriff Cal, who’s having doubts about a life in law enforcement. The adults track the boys toward the novel’s heart-pounding climax on the edge of the gorge and a conclusion that beautifully makes manifest the grace these characters find in the wilderness and one another. 

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What To Expect:

Readers can expect an exciting adventure tale of two boys on the run in the wilderness. Told from three perspectives, this story has heart, adventure, and suspense.

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Content Warnings:

Language: Mild – Damn, hell

Sexual Content: None

Violence: Mild

Substance Use: Mild – Character drinks whiskey, boys try chewing tobacco (brief)

Prejudices: None

Religious Themes: Prayer, Pentecostal faith, mention of speaking in tongues (brief), some characters do not believe in God

Other Topics: Child abuse (off page), parental death

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