About This Book
Reach for this book when your child is struggling with a sense of powerlessness or is reacting to emotional stress with defensive anger. It is a vital resource for middle grade readers who feel they have to be tough to survive a chaotic or restrictive home life. The story follows Chauncey, a boy caught in a cycle of conflict with his strict, overbearing grandfather and an indifferent mother. Through Chauncey's journey, the book explores the difference between being hard and being strong. While it deals with heavy themes of family dysfunction, it offers a powerful message of agency. Parents will appreciate how it models the importance of seeking out supportive mentors and the courage it takes to break away from toxic cycles. It is a realistic, gritty, yet ultimately hopeful guide for finding one's own path.
