"In Oregon, east of the Cascades, where the land stands green and mountainous, a summer rain came gently to the forest, first as a soft ticking in the leaves of the trees. Then, like a barrage of guns, it roared through the hills, falling in sheets of blue, until, at last, the dark thunderhead moved on. The rain sprinkled and stopped.

Joey Walker, dripping and heavy with wet, stood quietly beside the uneven banks of Weeping Water lake. Staring unbelievingly at the willowy saplings that lay toppled along the shore, he suddenly became very angry. As much as Joey liked to use his own ax, he could not understand for a moment why anyone would have downed the young poplars."

Joey is hard working, persistent, compassionate, independent, respectful, all the things kids shoul be. There's just a little tension, a little danger, but a happy ending.