Eleven-year-old Mac lives in a small town in Pennsylvania with his mom and grandad. Mac is an observant and precocious preteen. His mom and grandad encourage him to question things and engage in critical thinking, which sometimes brings him into conflict with authority figures. He insists that it is better to know the truth, even if it is upsetting, than to be ignorant.

At the beginning of the book, Mac feels a lot of anger and confusion at adults who lie or try to hide the truth from kids. His mom, grandad, and two best friends support him as he learns to deal with his anger and confusion. Over the course of the novel, he learns healthy and productive ways to channel his anger and sees that he can make a difference.

In addition to learning about how to manage his emotions, Mac begins to feel attraction toward his friend Marci. He realizes that he has a crush on her and is anxious about spending time with her and what she thinks of him. Eventually, he becomes more comfortable around her and asks her to the dance. However, Mac and Marci, in their continuous coming-of-age journey, decide that they aren't ready to date since they are only 11, but their friendship has grown deeper and stronger.