Twelve-year-old Leo feels like a sardine, squashed in the middle of his large bustling family. A practiced daydreamer, Leo is not as flashy as his siblings and he often feels forgotten, but he is about to make his mark: he has just gotten a part in his school play. As Leo rehearses his role, he also rehearses his real-life part, constantly replaying scenes in his head, rewriting his lines to say the things he wished he had said. At the same time, he has just discovered his father’s childhood diary in the attic. Reading it leads Leo to a suprising new understanding of his dad and his family. Creech’s funny, poignant novel, written in a combination of prose and dialogue, speaks to the power art has in shaping our lives. The complete text of the school play is included at the end of the book. (Ages 8–11)

Leo's papa stood in the doorway, gazing down at him. "Leo, you make gold from pebbles," and the way he said it, Leo could tell that this was a good thing.

He may have been given a bit part in the school play ... but Leo dreams he is the biggest star on Broadway.

Sure, his big, noisy family makes him feel like a sardine squashed in a tin ... but in his fantasy he gets all the attention he wants.

Yes, his papa seems sad and distracted ... but Leo imagines him as a boy, tap-dancing and singing with delight.

That's why they call Leo "fog boy." He's always dreaming, always replaying things in his brain. He fantasizes about who he is in order to discover who he will become. As an actor in the school play, he is poised and ready for the curtain to open. But in the play that is his life, Leo is eager to discover what part will be his.