This book takes you through a heartbreaking divorce. Mary's divorce is followed by a soul shattering event. Her three year old daughter is riding her tricycle when a car runs her over. Mary cannot face living in her home that contains such disturbing memories. She moves to a new location only to witness strange happenings in her new home.

: A young boy met an old man living alone who was unable to take care of himself. The old man is also very lonely. The boy decides that his family members have each other and that the old man needs him more than they do. The boy leaves home to help the man. There is a lot of rural area and scouting background in the book.

Betty lives in a WWII post depression period. Her family is very poor and lives as outcasts in their small town. At the age of seven her mother gives her to her grandmother. She leaves a barely supervised home to enter an extremely strict home. Her father passes away when she is nine. Her grandmother gave her backbone. Her life with her grandmother consists of long hours of hard work.