Robert Traver captures the genuine flavor of backwoods life in this story recounting the escapades of Danny and his four croonies.

Danny Boy grew up on one of the most influential record labels in the history of rap music. As the adopted son of Suge Knight, Danny rubbed elbows with the best of the best in the music industry. He sang for Teena Marie, collaborated with Lisa Left Eye Lopes, and formed a friendship with Jodeci members, K-Ci and JoJo. He witnessed both the rise and fall of Death Row Records, traveled with Suge and Tupac, and performed with some of the greatest musicians of all times. Danny is probably most widely known for "I Ain't Mad at Cha," the iconic song he recorded with the late Tupac Shakur. But there's more to his story. In this autobiography, he shares his secrets, his heartaches, and loves; he takes the reader on a journey that is unforgettable.

"A ... debut about two young brothers and their physically and psychologically abusive father"--

Danny Ellis is a survivor, strong and resilient. An acclaimed singer/songwriter, he is proud of the way he handled his difficult past: poverty in the 1950s Dublin slums and the brutality of the Artane Industrial School. He felt as though he had safely disposed of it all, until one night, while writing the powerful song that would launch his highly-praised album, 800 Voices ("A searing testament." —Irish Times), Danny's past crept back to haunt him. Confronted by forgotten memories of betrayal and abandonment, he was stunned to discover that his eight-year-old self was still trapped in a world he thought he had left behind. Although unnerved by his experience, Danny begins an arduous journey that leads him back to the streets of Dublin, the tenement slums, and, ultimately, the malice and mischief of the Artane playground. What he discovers with each twist and turn of his odyssey will forever change his life. Elegantly written, this is a brutally honest, often harrowing, depiction of a young boy's struggle to survive orphanage life, and stands as an inspiring testament to the healing power of music and love.

At times hilarious, at times heart-wrenching; full of wit and wisdom, "Danny Boy" is a must-read for anyone struggling to care for a special needs child.This true story explores the lessons we can learn from people with disabilities and the reasons why a loving God allows some to struggle and suffer, while others enjoy healthy bodies. Told from the perspective of the oldest sister in a family with a severely disabled child, this collection of real-life, behind-the-scenes experiences highlights the difficulties, disasters, and poignant moments that inevitably happen when caring for those with special needs. See the effect these experiences have had on each member of the family over the course of nearly 35 years of round-the-clock care for brother and son. Prologue: "I was not quite eight years old when Danny was born. Even at that young age I can remember the exact moment I knew my life, my family's lives, everything we had known up to that point had changed forever.It was evening in early summer. I walked to my parents' bedroom at the end of the upstairs hallway wearing a soft summer nightgown and lurked silently, just inside the doorway. Mom and Dad stood side-by-side, arms around each other with their backs to me, looking down on their newborn son as he lay under the bilirubin lights in his crib. I don't remember any words being spoken--only that I think mom was crying. Or maybe the baby was. What I do remember as the scene was forever stamped on my consciousness is that I knew something was wrong. Maybe not even wrong. Just different. This baby was different. And somehow, I knew that nothing would ever be the same again. And it never has been."

Through a mishap in Professor Bulfinch's laboratory, Danny accidentally creates an anti-gravity paint. The natural use, of course, is for a spaceship -- the paint can replace rockets to get the ship into space. Unfortunately, the spaceship is launched prematurely after Danny and Joe follow Professor Bulfinch and Dr. Grimes on a tour of the ship. A mechanical failure dooms the four to a one-way trip out of the Solar System -- unless they can repair the spaceship in time! This is the first of the 15-volume Danny Dunn series and features the original cover by acclaimed artist Ezra Jack Keats. Look for "Danny Dunn on a Desert Island," the second volume of the series, coming soon from Wildside Press!