The Skye brothers -- skinny, quiet, big-eared Owen and his smart older brother Andy -- live in a rural village with their parents and weird Uncle Lorne, a shy bachelor who sleeps on a cot in the basement and takes out his teeth at night. On his way home from hockey practice one evening, Owen catches a glimpse of a girl named Sylvia. He falls hopelessly in love, and Valentine's Day turns into one big disaster. Thank goodness for life at home, where there's a brother to talk to and plot adventures with. Yet the Skye boys somehow manage to turn every innocent plan into a full-scale ordeal. A search for a hammer turns into a brush with the deadly Bog Man, a midnight visit to the snow fort to meet with aliens becomes a near-death experience. This funny, magical novel celebrates the everyday joys and drama of being a kid and, especially, being a boy. Owen's small-town childhood may be simple, but his days are rich indeed as he ponders the secret mysteries of death, life, and love.