When the Casey's move into affluent Ridgeport, Ill. in search of a better life for their newborn
Scott, they are surprised to find a book entitled,
Ridgeport Welcomes You: Procedures and
Guidelines for Happy Living
. The book is full of rules and ordinances that citizens must abide by in order to live in their happy neighborhood. Although mom Loretta Casey is hesitant to live by
Ridgeport's strict rules, all that changes when she meets her neighbor Sue Ellen Norris. Sue Ellen serves on the Neighborhood Watch Committee, overseeing the safety of the town, and
Loretta becomes engrossed in Sue Ellen's addictive personality. But as Loretta's son Scott and
Sue Ellen's son Matt grow, they discover that Ridgeport is not as perfect as their moms make it out to be. As Scott and Matt form their band of friends, their journeys into the neighborhood woods prove to be much more than just a place of refuge. Kevin Patrick Kenealy is in his seventh-year teaching AP Literature, English, and Journalism to high school students. Before that, he wrote for Chicagoland newspapers, where he had the privilege to interview several famous people including Barack Obama, former Illinois governors
Jim Edgar, Rod Blagojevich, and Pat Quinn. He also has published two books of poetry,
20
Something
and
Faith Journey,
and the horror novel,
Life and Death
.