Mason Buttle was a big kid, who was not very good in school and who sweat....a lot. He lived with his Gran, his uncle and a stray girl his uncle brought home one day. They lived on an orchard that had been in the family for generations. However, after the family had dealt two tragic blows it became hard for Gran and Uncle Drum to deal with the orchard operations. Things fell into disarray and soon Uncle Drum had to sell off parts of the orchard.
The biggest tragedy in Mason's life was the death of his best friend. Mason had been the one to find him in the orchard, beneath the treehouse they had always played in. It was their escape from the school bullies that tormented them. It had been fifteen months but Lieutenant Baird still came around to question Mason about what happened that day. Mason knew that the lieutenant thought there was more to the story that Mason wasn't telling him, but for the life of him Mason couldn't figure out what it could be.
When Mason's new friend, Calvin, disappeared Lieutenant Baird's suspicions grew deeper.
This is a beautiful story about friendship, loyalty and judgment. Longlisted for the National Book Award for Young People this was a delightful heartfelt story.