Thirteen-year-old Jack Hicks loves everything about Coppertown—his family and friends, barbecues and Friday music nights, and his best friend’s beautiful sister, Hannah. Everything, that is, except for what keeps the community thriving and drove out nature long ago—mining. Living in a treeless landscape that looks like the moon, he yearns to see bugs and birds and frogs outside of books.

Jack hates the mine where so many of his relatives have died, but how can he tell that to his dad, who wants him to follow in the family trade?

When the miners strike, Jack is thrilled that green and growing things at last have a chance to return to the red hills. But when that same strike threatens to close the mine and force people to leave Coppertown for new homes and jobs, Jack finds himself struggling to hold on to everything he loves most.