A stirring debut novel about a mother and daughter who find an unlikely home amid the quirky residents of a small town--"The smart style, crisp narrative, sharp dialogue, and vivid descriptions send a powerful message: there is hope hidden in despair" (Publishers Weekly).

For thirteen-year-old Ruthie Carmichael and her mother, Rita, life has never been stable. Though Rita works more than one job, the pair teeters on the edge of poverty.

In their battered Ford Escort, they head east in search of a better life. When...