Twelve-year-old Buddy Larsson arrives in Sand Lake, Minnesota angry with his parents who have sent him and his sister to spend the summer with grandparents they have only met once before. Buddy is forced to face the reality that this visit is the result of his parent's decision to live in separate cities for the summer. He struggles with the fact that this may be a permanent arrangement when the summer is over. With the help of his grandparents, Buddy learns to accept situations he cannot change and to change situations he cannot accept.