Eva and her immigrant family live between the railroad tracks and Fort Wayne, the military base along the Detroit River in the fifties. Eva lives on a multicultural street and grows up with many wonderful types of people. Her neighborhood in the first book covers the lives of neighbors and friends and her brother's tragic little friend, Danny. Eva and Leo grow up together, sharing a sadly dysfunctional family life, but there are good moments and some heart-ending times. The summertime was the highlight of their world at Detroit's Boblo Boat rides, the beautiful jewel of the city, Belle Isle, where families picnicked and swam at the beaches and rode across the Belle Isle ferry boat. The second part is Eva's life and how the road leads to growing up and becoming strong in the face of sorrow and tragedy.