On his fifteenth birthday, Lewis Hinton found out that he was adopted. When Lewis was a baby, he was given to his kindly parents, Avery and Martha, in a basket. Since then, Lewis has been curious about the mysterious, beautiful stranger who was his biological mother. Now, on the eve of his sixteenth birthday, Lewis is about to learn something new about his past that will cause him to question his own identity and turn his small town of Slippery Falls, Idaho, on its head. Is it really possible that humble Lewis Hinton might be a descendant of French nobility?

In the meantime, Lewis has another quest --- to capture the torpedo-sized trout that he believes is living in the Little Lost River. Using a king-sized fishing rod and an extra-long ladder, Lewis is determined to find the fish, even though seasoned fisherfolk think he's crazy.

Lewis is thoughtful, appealingly unsure of himself, and devoted not only to his quest but also to his small group of friends. He is surrounded by a likeable cast of small town eccentrics, including wise Mrs. Baderhoovenlisterah, sensitive Amanda Dot, and the town's publicity-hungry mayor. All of the town's residents band together to help one of their own, as Lewis begins his journey of self-discovery.

Like small-town life itself, THE KING OF SLIPPERY FALLS is sometimes sleepy and slow moving. Also like the small town of Slippery Falls, though, this slender novel offers plenty of opportunities for quiet reflection and simple pleasures.