Jeff Greene learned to live without his mother Melody after she left him and his dad, the Professor, when Jeff was seven. After he visits Melody for the summer some years later, Jeff finds he must learn to live more fully with his dad. Jeff's moods parallel seasonal changes. Dicey Tillerman, the protagonist in two other novels by Voigt, adds an important dimension to a spectacular story with a well developed central theme, several subplots and marvelously crafted multi-dimensional contemporary characters. Winner. CCBC Newbery Straw Vote. (11 and older)

Jeff's mother, who deserted the family years before, reenters his life and widens the gap between Jeff and his father, a gap that only truth, love, and friendship can heal.