A look at the life of migrant workers through a child's eyes
Emma Turner loves books and dreams of one day having the store-bought
kind, but the Turners are migrant workers and money is tight. That means
no extras, so Emma must be content to make her own stories and books.
Emma has a plan, though - she's going to save all the money she earns
picking apples and put it in Mama's hard-times jar. Then there will
surely be enough for extras. But when Mama tells Emma that this year she
has to go to school instead of to work, it spoils everything. Now she
will never own a store-bought book! But school turns out to have a
wonderful surprise in store for Emma.
Based on Ethel Footman Smothers's childhood, the story is brought to
life with lush acrylic paintings, giving us a touching portrait of a
book-hungry child.