Summary

Community summary are the opinions of contributing users. These summary do not represent the opinions of Daniel Boone Regional Library.
SAPPHIREBEAR15
The novel is narrated by a 13 year old girl who is named Salamanca Tree Hiddle (Sal). Sal's mother has recently left Sal and her father, and Sal's Gram and Gramps are taking her on a cross-country car trip to Lewiston, Idaho to see her mother in time for her birthday, hoping to bring her home with her. Sal loves nature and was very close to her mother before she left. On the trip, Sal entertains her grandparents by telling a story about her friend in Euclid, Ohio, Phoebe Winterbottom, whose mother suddenly disappeared and left their family too, and about Ben Finney with whom Sal begins a tight relationship. Over the course of the book, Sal's story unfolds and their car travels west. As Sal reveals more details about Phoebe's story, parallels are realized between Sal's situation and Phoebe's story. When Sal is finished telling the story, Sal's grandmother, or "Gram", dies of a stroke. Sal's grandfather then gives Sal permission to drive to the site of a bus crash where we learn that the reason Sal's mother never returned was because she is deceased. Sal is then taken by a police officer to her mother's cemetery. Returning home to Bybanks, Kentucky, Sal's grandmother is buried and Pheobe, Ben, Mrs. Cadaver and Mr. Birkway promise to visit her next month.