Edwards, Pat

Eleven-year-old Nelda and her family have their share of hard times during the Depression, but Nelda knows it is her destiny to be rich some day and when she becomes a companion to the elderly Miss Mattie May, she knows she's taken a step in the right direction.

Although delighted to have the resourceful and courageous Pluto as his first real friend, nine-year-old John soon begins to realize how their rural South environment discourages a close relationship between African-Americans and whites.

Four vignettes in which Chester and his Uncle Willoughby sit together on their front porch and exchange thoughts and stories.