When Stephen's mom dies, his too-drunk-to-function Uncle Kasey takes guardianship over him and his younger, bullying brother, Warren, all while his lost dad continues to text a dead person. Despite his physical disability, Stephen's working hard to watch out for Warren and to bury the hurt and resentment he feels over his mom's death and his dad's absence. But you can only keep things bottled for so long. One night, Warren doesn't come home, and Stephen has to search for him. Near the old fairgrounds, he sees a bright, orange light flickering in the trees. Stephen follows the burning ball of light, only to come face-to-face with a reflection he isn't quite ready to confront. As the reflection disappears, the light blinds him, and he passes out. Since that night, everything changes for Stephen. His emotions start to manifest themselves in ways he can't control. Leery and weary, he enlists his two best friends to help stop the changes, and in the process he uncovers the past troubles of his parents' lives. The Changing Place is a coming of age story in which Stephen must navigate his emotions or deal with a lifetime of negative consequences.