Evocative and beautifully observed, this narrative perfectly captures the world of Stride, a boy on the cusp of adolescence. When Jess arrives unexpected and uninvited, a chain of events over which Stride has no control pushes him into a new world of love, fear, shame and self-discovery. Even his previously indestructible relationship with Ferd, his pet cockatoo, is cast in a different light when Jess is around. He must find a way to deal with Ferd, Jess, and his own tempestuous emotions—all the while adapting to the drastic changes that surround him.