In 1947, after the war, Willa Mae's father returns to the Illinois town where she has lived with her maternal grandparents for the last five of her eleven years, and Willa Mae finds herself struggling to understand old family tensions and secrets. IOWA CHILDREN'S CHOICE AWARD 2005 - 2006 Interest Level: 5-8 Reading Level: 6.7 ATOS Book Level: 5.1 AR Interest Level: MG AR Points: 6 AR Quiz: 63094EN Reading Counts Level: 5.2 Reading Counts Points: 13 Lexile Measure: 870.