Summary

In Chapter 1, Grace’s mother Anna told her many stories. In one story, she explained a time before darkness existed. In another, she explained how darkness had come about. God had told a bat to carry it in a basket “to the moon” (3). The story explained why bats were nocturnal. Anna especially liked telling stories about Africa. She and Grace’s father, Jonathan, had “lived in Tanzania” (4). Grace took notes when Anna told stories. She wanted to be a detective someday.

Anna knew five languages, including French and Swahili. “Safari” was a Swahili word, and Grace recorded it “next to the word ‘Sophie,’” the name of Anna’s first daughter who had “died in Africa” before Grace’s birth (7).

Once, Grace found a page from Anna’s notebook. She kept it hidden and read it in secret.

When Grace found a moth, she...