Parental conflict, adventure, redemption, and forgiveness, this young adult adventure keeps us turning the pages. Johnny Westward escapes his parent's drinking and abuse. He changes his name to Jimmy Olson and builds a raft, taking it down the Mississippi River to start a new life. He meets Waldo, who helps him get to Colorado. Realizing his parents are looking for him, he must escape and run to Rocky Mountain National Park. He runs into his father, Robert, in the mountains and calls Waldo for help. Waldo directs him to his brother who takes Jimmy in and brokers peace with his father. Robert realizes he needs to stop drinking and, upon Mike's advice, begins to attend AA meetings. Jimmy and his horse escape into the mountains when he thinks his parents have again betrayed him. He f is critically injured. His life is saved, and his family works through healing and starting over. The Olsons are neighbors that become grandparent figures and take Jimmy in so he can rebuild the relationship with his parents at his own pace. Jimmy once again becomes Johnny and learns to forgive his father as he graduates college, marries, and returns to Colorado to start his own veterinary practice.