Jimmy Little

Jimmy Little is a fourteen year old boy who is very intelligent, but he has trouble concentrating in school. Jimmy often does not go to school, but instead he spends time with friends or watches television all day. However, Jimmy's guardian, Mama Jean, wants him to graduate from school so she pushes him to go. As the novel begins, Jimmy finds himself wrestling with the guilt of hurting Mama Jean by not going to school.

Jimmy has never known his father. Crab Little has been in jail since Jimmy was five. In fact, Jimmy lived with Mama Jean even before Crab went to jail because the older man was not equipped to deal with a child after his wife's death. When Crab suddenly shows up outside Jimmy's apartment, he does not know how to deal with him. Jimmy goes on a cross country trip with Crab, but...