In Dennis Acres, Missouri (Population: 53), deep, dark family secrets aren't buried, they're discussed—at the gas station, the post office, the Mexican restaurant (no need to specify which one since there's only one), even on the local radio station.  Benny Summer would prefer to keep his family issues on the down low, but that's just not happening.  Everyone knows his mother took off.  And now that his father's junk shop has closed, meaning their house is crammed to the rafters with useless stuff, it's pretty easy to see the truth about that, too.  There's no use denying it:  Benny's got an absent mom and a dad who cares more about his possessions than his marriage.  Or his son.  It's more than the 12-year-old can handle.