WARNING

In this debut memoir, a retired English teacher recalls his adventurous (and misadventurous) childhood in a small New Jersey town.

Miller spent much of his youth in Delanco, New Jersey, and his free time next to the Delaware River. This book, which zeroes in on his middle school years in the 1960s, is split into 15 nonchronological chapters, each focusing on a single story. Regulars in his life, however, continually pop up, including his charming best friends: Big Rich Palm and Mark Bruno, whom Miller describes as the trio’s “brain.” “Quicksand” is the story of when the three checked the river to validate Big Rich’s claim of potentially lethal quicksand in the vicinity. That same year, they snuck into a local dump to peruse its treasure trove of junk, despite the fact that “Patch-Eye Joe,” who gives the story its name, was always watching the place with a shotgun slung over his shoulder. The author’s concise prose makes for quick reading throughout, while still providing details on Delanco’s sights and history, such as the pirates that once sailed Delaware Bay. Many readers will relate to Miller’s experiences, including encounters with school bullies, games of Little League Baseball, and time spent at summer camp and with the Cub Scouts; in addition, there are stories of how he endured painful, monthly orthodontist visits to have his braces cleaned, and how, one day, he came to the shocking realization that girls maybe don’t have cooties. Throughout, the author portrays his young self as enjoying a carefree childhood while also yearning for grown-up responsibilities. This is best exemplified in the wonderful “Collecting,” in which Miller proved himself by working summer jobs; after mowing lawns, picking beans on a farm, and delivering newspapers, he had to decide which activity had the perfect wage-to-workload ratio. McGettigan’s childlike illustrations offer snapshots of the action in each story, although the most indelible image is the colorful two-page map of Delanco.

A remembrance that’s full of delightful, nostalgic turns.