The year is 1946. Seven-year-old Roberta lives in Washington, D.C., with her parents—but this summer they send her to live with her grandparents in rural North Carolina for one month while her mother is on bed rest for a difficult pregnancy. Roberta doesn't want to leave home. She's even more worried that the new baby might take her place in the family. So, while her momma and daddy are making quite a fuss over the unborn baby, she creates a secret wish. But soon she finds herself involved in the rhythms of the country and the extended family she comes to know. Like a circle, a family unit holds together: a small ring inside a greater circle of loved ones. Alice McGill's captivating story transports readers to a vivid time and place—and shares the joys and pangs of a child's growing heart.