Theo Byrne is a promising young astrobiologist who has found a way to search for life on other planets dozens of light years away.

He is also the widowed father of a most unusual nine-year-old. His son Robin is funny, loving, and filled with plans. He thinks and feels deeply, adores animals, and can spend hours painting elaborate pictures.

He is also on the verge of being expelled from third grade, for attacking a friend.

The novel deals with powerful issues including, grief, the father/son relationship and climate change.

Theo is an astrophysicist looking for the existence of life on other planets. To help Robin, he removes him from the school system and continues his education at home.

Together they explore the wildness of the countryside and Theo also teaches him about far off planets and how the knowledge learned from studying new life growth can help us in a world that is ravaged by disease and is struggling with climate change.