Life in juvie for Reese isn't great, but it could be worse. He's just trying to keep his head down and get out soon, but that's easier said than done when guys keep hassling him. The one escape he has is his work release job at an old folks home, but even there he gets hassled by Mr. Hooft, a Dutch Holocaust survivor who is blatantly racist and doesn't hide it.

Myers is very good at dialogue that feels authentic without crossing over into "adult trying too hard to sound hip". There's nothing grand and dramatic in the story, but it takes a very honest look at the pressures a young convict faces and why it's so hard to straighten up. The book does feel pretty "lessony", but not preachy.