Plot Summary
When Chase Walker returns home, there's a lot waiting for him in the sleepy little town he rests his head in. A little boy, not more than six years old, has been found by the train tracks on the other side of the town. The mysteries start to stack up: Who is the boy? Where did he come from? Most importantly...why won't he talk? But the artwork the boy produces shows Chase more than words ever could, and he starts to see himself in the little lost soul. After all, Chase himself was abandoned, and as he searches deeper into the mysterious boy's past, he begins to learn more about himself and his origins.
Chasing Fireflies is a heartwarming tale about a man's bond with a small boy, and what that boy's past can tell him about himself. It's an excellent read appropriate for young adult and older audiences, and there's a little something in it for everyone.
Charles Martin grew up in Jacksonville, Florida. He describes himself as having "somewhat of a Huck Finn childhood". He attended Georgia Tech, and after a brief and unsuccessful stint as an accounting major, he found himself in the English department. The rest was history. He lives in Jacksonville with his wife, Christy, and their son, Charlie. He takes much of the inspiration for his novels from Georgia, where he went to school, and Jacksonville, where he grew up. His books have been highly lauded by critics, and he's won several literary awards.
"I really liked this book and thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Had many different story lines with an intriguing plot throughout. It took me a while to realize the similarities to my life where probably what drew me into it. It is written from the perspective of a 28-year-old former foster child living above the garage of his former foster parents while they go through the process of accepting another foster child into their home. It wasn't until page 184 that I realized this is not normal life for everyone and, therefore, probably a good part of the reason I liked it so much. But the suspense, mystery, and twisting of the plot lines were great as well. I felt like I would have liked to see a bit more justice done at the end, but still enough closure that I was okay with it."
—
Wendy (4 out of 5 stars)
Publisher Summary
When paramedics find a malnourished six-year-old boy near a burning car that holds a dead woman, they wonder who he is—and why he won't speak. From the New York Times bestselling author of The Mountain Between Us comes a story of self-discovery, healing, and hope.
On a stifling summer day, an old Chevy Impala ignored the warning signals and was annihilated by the oncoming train. What no one realized until much later was that the driver had paused just before entering the tracks and kicked a small boy out of the car. A small boy with broken glasses who is clutching a notebook with all his might . . . but who never speaks.
Chase Walker was one of the lucky ones. He was in foster care as a child, but he finally ended up with a family who loved him and cared for him. Now, as a journalist for the local paper, he’s moved on and put the past behind him. But when he’s assigned the story of this young boy, painful, haunting questions about his own childhood begin to rise to the surface.
And as Chase Walker discovers, learning the truth about who you are can be as elusive—and as magical—as chasing fireflies on a summer night.
Praise for Chasing Fireflies:
“Colorful, memorable characters; Southern regional flavor that’s drop-dead accurate; and lyrical, intelligent writing make Chasing Fireflies an exceptionally good read.” —Aspiring Retail
“Martin understands the power of story and he uses it to alter the souls and lives of both his characters and his readers . . .”—Patti Callahan Henry, New York Times bestselling author
- Full-length emotive Southern fiction
- Also by Charles Martin: The Water Keeper, The Mountain Between Us, Send Down the Rain, and When Crickets Cry
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About Adam Verner
Adam Verner is a stage, film, television, and voice actor and an Earphones Award–winning audiobook narrator. He holds a BS in theater arts from Bradley University and an MFA from Chicago College of the Performing Arts at Roosevelt University.