Tied up and trapped with no way out...facing up to the dreaded Robinson brothers...standing up for the new kid at school.

11-year-old Auggie Thumb has a lot going on, but before he can get a dog and go hunting with his dad and uncles, he has to learn a few life lessons along the way.

His 13-year-old twin brothers are sometimes fun, but sometimes annoying. His 16-year-old sister Polly is usually on the phone or out with her friends.

So in 1971 Iowa before cell phones, color TV and the internet, it's left to Auggie to turn boring into adventure.

But can he do it without getting into too much trouble or making anyone too mad?

Parents and grandparents will love this book as it is "laugh-out-loud" funny, and once started, kids just won't put it down. While it is set in a simpler time, the challenges that Auggie faces are as relevant today as they were then. The timeless values of courage, loyalty and honesty come through in a humorous appealing way which boys need to absorb to become men of good character. Through it all, the bonds of family and friendship are ever present.