First published 1999
The characters in this novel traverse Illinois, encountering the state's diverse regions and people. Their journey takes them through small farming towns, urban neighborhoods, and natural areas that define the Prairie State. Along the way, they face decisions that test their understanding of home, community, and belonging. The central tension emerges as the protagonists must choose between familiar comforts and unknown possibilities that Illinois presents. Lewis crafts a story where the state itself becomes a character, shaping the people who move through its boundaries. The emotional weight centers on what it means to find your place in a landscape that offers both tradition and change.
Genres: family-life, american-fiction, adventure, contemporary
Vibes: atmospheric, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: Illinois
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
213 pages · Hardcover · Gibbs Smith