The Catholic part of Belfast in the early eighties is a frightening place for a boy who is both intelligent and sensitive, whose best friend is his little sister and whose favorite movie is "The Wizard of Oz." In his imagination, Mickey dreams of a future as a movie star in America, even though his world already ends just around the next corner. Meanwhile, he discovers his love for the unattainable girl next door, fears the new school with its wild boys, and takes a trip to the forbidden hills to catch a glimpse of a place where everything is different and a better future might be waiting for him. The author writes with such warmth and humor about a time of poverty and violence, where an innocent boy experiences loss and betrayal too soon, yet knows how to free himself from every difficult situation as a resourceful survivor.