Five-year-old Thomas has a lot to complain about. Not only has his father left him in charge of a house full of girls while fighting the war in Iraq, but Thomas also has growing pains in his legs that awaken him in the middle of the night. Then he has an added fear when he overhears his mother talking about moving far away from their grandparents' Texas ranch to live in a city called El Paso.

How can they leave the ranch they love to be around city kids who don't know anything about country things? How can he leave his grandparents who need his help? And, how will his sisters Leah,...