"Whether at work or at play, at home of school, the transition from childhood to adulthood has required generations of Americans to tackle tremendously difficult challenges. Today, adults impose ever-increasing demands on the young for self-discipline, cognitive development, and academic achievement, even as the influence of the mass media and consumer culture has grown. With a nod to the past, Mintz revisits an alternative to the goal-driven realities of contemporary childhood. An odyssey of psychological self discovery and growth, this book suggests a vision of childhood that embraces risk and freedom - like the daring adventure on Huck's raft."--BOOK JACKET.