Danny's Red Jacket

No one understands that I just want to be me. Danny, Jack and Rusty spend a great deal of their time together, riding their bikes, swimming in the creek, and fishing--typical twelve-year-old activities. Danny is frequently in trouble with his parents because he gets so involved in their adventures that he fails to get home on time, or he wanders off when he hasn't asked permission. So, when he notices Rusty becoming friends with Tim, a boy who has been in bad trouble and also acting strangely about fires that have been started in their hometown of Bolton, Colorado, Danny rethinks hanging out with Rusty. When witnesses see Danny's Red Jacket at the scene of a crime, and because of Rusty's constant bullying, Danny wonders if anyone will believe his innocence. With his dad already angry that Danny doesn't behave, or study or practice his horn like his brother and sister, this new situation doesn't make life any easier. His dad is the one person whose mind he wants to change, but how can he change the mind of someone who has no faith in him? And who took Danny's Red Jacket?