Nebraska, 1954: Emmett Watson, newly released from a juvenile prison, returns home to pick up his eight-year-old brother, Billy. With their mother gone and their father recently deceased, the brothers plan to move to California for a fresh start. But they didn't count on two of Emmett's friends from the work camp showing up. The escaped inmates lead the Watsons off course, on an adventure-filled trek to New York City. Populated with unforgettable characters and spanning just ten days, this action-packed novel is destined to become a modern classic.