An irresistible and heartfelt debut novel about the wisdom of the very young, the mischief of the very old, and the magic that happens along the way
Millie Bird, seven-years old and ever hopeful, always wears red gumboots to match her curly hair. Her struggling mother, grieving the death of Millie’s father, leaves her in the big ladies’ underwear department of a local store and never returns.
Agatha Pantha, eighty-two, has not left her house – or spoken to another human being – since she was widowed seven years ago. She fills the silence by yelling at passersby, watching loud static on the TV, and maintaining a strict daily schedule.
Karl the Touch Typist, eighty-seven, once used his fingers to type out love notes on his wife's skin. Now that she’s gone, he types out his words into the air as he speaks. Karl’s been committed to a nursing home, but in a moment of clarity and joy, he escapes. Now he’s on the lam.
United at a fateful moment, the three embark upon a road trip to find Millie’s mother. Together they will discover that old age is not the same as death, that the young can be wise, and that letting yourself feel sad once in a while just might be the key to a happy life.
Brooke Davis
