Junebug hasn’t seen his friend Robert since the family moved from their housing project in May. It’s Labor Day weekend, reunion time, and Mama, Tasha, Harriet, and Junebug are off to the beach. Robert is there, but so is Trevor, another boy from the project. Trevor is a gang member; Trevor has a gun. With Junebug gone, Trevor has easily befriended Robert. Robert might even join Trevor’s gang, the Rex. How can Junebug stop him? At the same time, Junebug wonders about his own father, who’s been imprisoned for more than six years. Junebug longs to know him, to know that he’s innocent – and that if he’s not, Junebug won’t necessarily turn out like him.

With all the spunk with which he made his dream come true in Junebug and assimilated a whole new life in Junebug and the Reverend, Alice Mead’s ten-year-old hero sets out to save his friend and understand his father.