In a city brimming with cultural turmoil amid a push for racial equality, one young boy with a heart of gold witnesses astonishing changes in 1970s New Orleans.

Sixth-grader French Fry and his group of misfit friends are growing up during the first years of desegregation at their public elementary school. Even though the change is slow and the conflict is high, they are often blind to injustice. The friends ultimately handle the transformation of their town very differently but remain loyal to one another—despite the many reasons that threaten to tear them apart.

But can an evolving world truly never impact them, especially when family dynamics come into play? One thing is certain: in a place set on change, some things might just stay the same.

Author Roy LeBlanc’s sweeping novel reminds readers of the power of childhood innocence and the importance of heroes...no matter their color.

Roy LeBlanc holds an Associate Degree of Arts from Delgado Community College, as well as Bachelor of Arts and Master of Liberal Arts degrees from Tulane University. He grew up in a blue-collar family rooted in the Ninth Ward of New Orleans. This upbringing continues to greatly influence his writing.

By twenty-four years old, he was an elected member of the Louisiana State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. He is the author of six books, including The Newspaper Shack.

LeBlanc and his wife split their time between Georgia and Alabama.