Life-long memories are created when two brothers, Timmy and Jimmy, meet Duncan a talking raccoon who opens their eyes to environmental issues and life lessons. The boys spend summer vacation with their grandparents on Lake Michigan and are jaw-dropped dumbstruck that their grandmother is friendly with a wild raccoon she calls Duncan, whom is amazing in many ways, entrust the boys with her secret that not even grandmother knows, suffers misfortune, then comes to the boys' rescue to prevent bullies from causing another. In telling the story Jimmy reveals his lack of patience, enthusiastic personality, endless curiosity and inquisitiveness, encouraging sense of right and wrong, and eventually the beginnings of a guiding compass and a smidgen of patience he did not think possible - but then again, he did not think a lot of things were possible before the summer began.
Their grandparents' cottage perched on the edge of a bluff overlooking Lake Michigan with crashing waves and sandy beach below, surrounding woods and spring fed creeks, and trips to nearby Mackinac Bridge and Mackinac Island with its historic fort, main street and the Grand Hotel, are the majestic settings for life-changing life-lessons, about the beauty of the built and natural worlds, and the harmful ugliness of the abuse to the latter by misguided humans.
By summer's end the boys' father receives confirmation his job will require relocation to another city, but Jimmy's newly found deeper-thought says he can handle the uprooting of life that will require making new friends among other things. As vacation ends and heavyhearted goodbyes are exchanged, Jimmy reflects on the memories he'll take with him both happy and sad, and about his increased environmental awareness and self-awareness all thanks to his new friend Duncan, the talking raccoon.
Autorentext
During his youth James Freeman spent most summers in the beautiful State of Michigan traveling to the locations described in the book, and having a grandmother with a friendly wild raccoon she named Duncan that actually did some of the things in the book. Michigan's beautiful environment helped blossom his awareness of and affinity with the natural environment and the need to protect it, by living in a more sustainable way in harmony with nature so that it will be around for all future generations to enjoy.
Klappentext
What happens when young boys spending the summer with their grandparents meet a talking raccoon who opens their eyes to environmental issues? Lasting memories are created!
Brothers Timmy and Jimmy are amazed grandmother is friendly with a wild raccoon she's named Duncan who is amazing in many ways, who entrust the boys with her secret, overcomes the worst of tragedies and comes to the rescue preventing bullies from causing another.
Their grandparents' cottage perched on the edge of a bluff overlooking Lake Michigan with its sandy beach below, surrounding woods and spring fed creeks, and trips to nearby Mackinac Bridge and Mackinac Island with its historic fort, main street and the Grand Hotel, are the majestic settings for life-changing life-lessons, ranging from the beauty of the natural world to the ugliness of its abuse by disrespectful humans and the misguided bullying of youth.
In telling the story Jimmy reveals his lack of patience, a personality full of enthusiasm, curiosity and inquisitiveness, a pretty good sense of right and wrong and later the beginnings of a guiding compass and a smidgen of patience he did not think possible - but then again he did not think a lot of things were possible before this summer began.
As the summer ends, the boys' father gets confirmation that his job will require relocation, but after some thought, Jimmy decides he can handle the uprooting and making new friends. As the family prepares to leave Lake Michigan, Jimmy thinks that he's glad for all the happy-and sad-memories he'll take with him and for his increased environmental awareness, thanks to a talking raccoon named Duncan.