In celebrated author Cary Fagan’s latest middle-grade novel, young Danny is presented with a dire and confusing situation: his father announces he is moving to New York City to become an opera singer, and his mother proclaims she is moving to Banff to bake cheesecakes. They are not getting a divorce or even separating; they are simply going to live apart for a year or two to pursue their individual dreams.

Suddenly, Danny faces the prospect of shuttling between two different places, and to top it all off, his parents have given away his dog, Thwack, in anticipation of the family’s dispersal. Not surprisingly, a very upset Danny runs away. He runs out of his house, across town, and into a construction site, where he falls into a really big hole.

In classic Fagan fashion, the author turns a potentially tragic situation on its head with a good dose of humour and whimsy. Danny proves to be quite resourceful, surviving on the contents of his backpack (he was running away, after all), and handling his predicament rather well. But Danny is quickly overshadowed by another inhabitant of the hole: a talking mole (named Mole) who is funny, chatty, and a talented poet and dancer. Danny may be the book’s main character, but Mole steals the story.

Fagan uses a gentle touch to explore several weighty issues – identity, being “different,” accepting change, bravery, friendship, and family – all while delivering comedy and adventure. The themes and execution might not appeal to older, more advanced readers, but kids at the younger end of the target age, as well as fans of Fagan’s previous work, will find much to like about this book.