Ten year old Kenny tells in his own words the story of the unforgettable trip he makes with his family one summer - from Michigan to Alabama, to visit his grandmother. The journey is also from innocence to experience: Kenny's light-hearted narration of incidents involving himself, his unruly older brother Byron and his little sister, Joetta gives way to a darker tone when their trip to the segregated South brings danger - Kenny nearly drowns, Joetta narrowly escapes the racist bombing of a Sunday school and Byron acts to redeem his delinquent image - in a series of events that bring repercussions for all their relationships.