Eleven-year-old Ian and his Vietnam veteran father have been homeless for years, but now his father has found a perfect place for theman abandoned city courthouse with heat, plenty of bathrooms, and lots of exits and entrances. Then, two things happen that threaten Ians fragile security: his father disappears, leaving Ian to fend for himself with the survival skills hes learned through the years, and Ian discovers that a local museum is mounting an exhibition of kites in the courthouse.Suddenly, Ians safe hideaway is filled with peopleand with extraordinary, beautiful kites that spark Ians imagination and draw him out of his shadow existence. Will the kites be Ians downfallor his salvation?