Kildee House by Rutherford Montgomery tells the story of Jerome Kildee who has retired from a life-long career as a stonemason and monument maker. Kildee builds a house on a piece of property he purchased deep in the redwood forest in California. As the story unfolds, Kildee has no apparent family or friends. He lived and worked in a colder region of America and has chosen this remote place where he can live out his years in virtual isolation. He purposely builds his house against a large redwood tree that is located at the center of his property so that no neighbors will be close to him.

Kildee, who had a long career, finds himself with time on his hands after he finishes building his house. He is a kindly man with a good heart and offers food and shelter to some hungry raccoons that live in the area. One of the animals, Old Grouch, is lazy and enjoys the comfort of Kildee's house, especially the warmth of the fire and the potential of getting generous handouts from Kildee. Soon Old Grouch is joined by his wife, Mrs. Grouch, and as nature takes its course, the couple soon have babies. Kildee welcomes them all.

The raccoons are surprised when the usually silent Kildee begins talking to them one night. He reveals a bit of his past to the animals. He tells them that most of his customers were grieving over lost loved ones. He feels regret that he could never find it in himself to comfort them. When Old Grouch starts "singing" one night, Kildee surprises himself when he sings along with him. He recalls how even in church, he was too shy to sing hymns with the rest of the congregation. Something about the non-judgmental animals seems to have liberated Kildee and made him feel comfortable. Feeling happy, he begins to show a friendly face to his human neighbors.

Emma Lou is the youngest child and only daughter of the rugged Eppy family that lives down the mountain from Kildee. Emma Lou loves the woods and the outdoors and loves animals even more. After she becomes acquainted with Kildee, they form a strong bond based on their mutual love of animals. She is fascinated with the raccoons and skunks who live at Kildee's house. She helps him and provides a vitality and dynamic presence that had been missing from his life for many years—perhaps even forever.

Emma Lou's natural enemy is Donald Cabot a classmate who lets his large dog run down harmless animals in the forest. After Donald begins to spend more time around Kildee and his animals, he comes to enjoy them and begins to appreciate Emma Lou's love for them and understand the protective nature she has for them. As the animal population in Kildee's House grows to unmanageable numbers, Donald saves the day by devising a plan that will relieve the stress that Kildee is undergoing but yet will provide a safe haven for the animals.