The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen

Thirteen-year-old Henry's happy, ordinary life comes to an abrupt halt when his older brother Jesse picks up their father's hunting rifle and leaves the house one morning, before the family is awake. What follows shatters Henry's family, who are forced to resume their lives in a new city, where no one knows their past. When Henry's therapist suggests he keep a journal to record his thoughts and feelings, he is resistant. But, soon, he confides in it at all hours of the day and night.

In spite of Henry's desire to "fly under the radar," he eventually befriends a number of oddball characters, both at school and in his modest apartment building. And even though they know nothing about his past—at least not yet—they help him navigate the waters of life after "IT."

Susin Nielsen has created a fantastic new character in Henry, whose journal entries are infused with humor and provide a riveting read about a family in turmoil.