Joshua Reed knows how to play new kid: hang back, don't talk too much, be invisible. He's moved around plenty since his dad became a recruiter for the US Air Force and the Vietnam War broke out. But their new home in the mountains of Pennsylvania feels special somehow. And it's all because of Jack. With his strange glowing ears and unique ability to understand Joshua's feelings, Jack is like no other dog Josh has ever seen. But adopting Jack yanks Josh from the sidelines to the front lines, and before he knows it, he's butting heads with Alan Prater, the toughest kid around. Joshua wants to be friends with Ray, Prater's cousin, but Prater's not letting outsiders in. Plus, being the air force recruiter's son during an unpopular war doesn't exactly make fitting in easy. So when a few late-night disturbances rip through town and everything points back to his beloved dog, Joshua will have to fight for Jack, his family, and his new home