Set in the mid-1960s in a valley called Hog’s Hollow in Toronto, this tale features the River family, each with a secret dream (or nightmare). Danny wants a dog; his older brother, Beau, hopes to become an astronaut; their mother fancies herself an author of antebellum southern fiction; and their father, Old Man River, fears a nuclear disaster as the Vietnam War heats up. When tragedy befalls the family, a stray dog—named Rocket by Danny— comes into the picture, and Danny sets off with Rocket to Cape Canaveral to meet astronaut Gus Grissom and to try to fulfill Beau’s dream. 2007 Canadian Governor General’s Literary Award. bal, sc