Twelve-year-old Clare Burch has just lost the person she loves most in the world. She wonders if her feelings of sorrow and self-blame over her grandfather's death will ever go away.

Out of the blue, a special request sends Clare on a journey from her home in Chicago to the Northwoods of Wisconsin. She knows that she must honor Grandpa Anthony's last wishes, even though they completely upend her summertime plans.

Clare heads to rural Alwyn with her little blind dog and a duffel bag full of worries. What will she do without her best friends and swim team? Who will take her fishing and spoil her with candy now that her grandfather is gone? And most important, is she strong enough to let him go, forever?

During her summer up north, Clare stumbles upon the answers to her many questions. Even more, as she makes peace with why she couldn't save Grandpa Anthony, she ends up rescuing someone else from danger.

Above all, Clare learns to listen to the courageous voice inside-and discovers just how tough she really is.