David J. Ruggleman, III knows no better place to grow up than Boar Ridge, in the cheery yellow house at the end of his block. He wants nothing more than the complete, loving life of his parents. But entering high school expands Davey's world, first over the bounds of impoverished Coalside, and then up the dreaded Haint Hill.

He and an unexpected ally unite to solve a riddle that channels the Hill's ancient power. As they do, they are tested by injustice, heartache, family shame, and deadly tragedy. The music and magic of that site irresistibly beckons them. The effects of the power fractures their lives along hidden faults. Can they wish their desires into reality and escape the small-town confines of their home, or will the changes they unleash only bring trouble?