A middle school boy gets drawn into his new town’s intense summer game of capture the flag in this “thrilling…often profound” (Booklist, starred review) slice-of-life graphic novel debut perfect for fans of The Cardboard Kingdom and Craig of the Creek.

When Fred Townsend and his family move to Lakeside, Illinois, Fred is inducted into a game of capture the flag that has split the entire town in two. But this isn’t a normal game. It’s been going on for decades and has been passed down from generation to generation. It has its own history, laws, and institutions, with elaborate castle-like bases, dreary prisons, kid-run saloons, and even a council of home-schooled kids that preside over the rules of the game.

But for Fred, and all of Lakeside’s kids, this unending war is not just about winning—it’s also about learning how you want to fit into the world, the power of friendship, and making sure this summer is one they will never forget.

248 pages