I have to admit that I enjoyed this one a lot more than I thought I would. The story is told from the point of view of an 11 year old boy. After his mother is raped (though his parents try to protect him from the truth by saying that his mother was flashed), Michael witnesses his parents, friends, and community deal with the aftermath of the crime through eyes that become less innocent. The author does a good job of showing how kids interact with each other and the confusion that kids face when trying to understand adult problems.