The Trouble with Heroes

By Kate Messner

Book Overview

An instant New York Times bestseller

A USA Today bestseller

Read with Jenna Jr. Summer Reading List Pick

"Genuinely moving." --The New York Times Book Review

"Explores the healing power of hiking." --NPR's All Things Considered

School Library Journal Best Book of the Year Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year: Middle Grade The Week Jr. Best Book of the Year Chicago Public Library Best Book of the Year The Week Jr.'s Book Club Pick

Bestselling and award-winning author Kate Messner takes readers on a heart-filling journey as a boy finds his path to healing.

One summer.
46 mountain peaks.
A second chance to make things right.

Finn Connelly is nothing like his dad, a star athlete and firefighter hero who always ran toward danger until he died two years ago. Finn is about to fail seventh grade and has never made headlines . . . until now.

Caught on camera vandalizing a cemetery, he's in big trouble for knocking down some dead old lady's headstone. Turns out that grave belongs to a legendary local mountain climber, and her daughter makes Finn an unusual offer: she'll drop all the charges if he agrees to climb all forty-six Adirondack High Peaks in a single summer. And there's just one more thing--he has to bring along the dead woman's dog.

In a wild three months of misadventures, mountain mud, and unexpected mentors, Finn begins to find his way on the trails. At the top of each peak, he can see for miles and slowly begins to understand more about himself and his dad. But the mountains don't care about any of that, and as the clock ticks down to September, they have more surprises in store. Finn's final summit challenge may be more than even a hero can face.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1547616393
• ISBN13: 9781547616398
• Release Date: April 2025
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
• Length: 368 Pages
• Weight: 0.91 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.5" x 6.0" x 8.5"
• Age Range: 9 to 14 years
• Grade Range: Grades 4 to 9