Coming to a new world, young Kelvin realizes that the wilderness really holds many more lessons than the inner city could have ever taught him. Camp W, in Northern New Hampshire provides the prime location for learning new things, even things that cannot be taught in a classroom. From building rafts, to scaling mountains, Kelvin's wilderness skills grow and enable him to become a more rounded individual. But young love and true friendship send Kelvin to a whole new world and provide him with the life lessons we all must face.

Through trials and tribulations, Kelvin overcomes many hurdles and learns life lessons some can only dream to learn. Though at the time, these adventures seemed more dangerous than educational, Kelvin learned more during that first summer than he ever would again throughout his life and truly became a man during the summer of 1940.