Summary

Young Rache and her great grandmother develop a special bond as Nana Sashie tells the story of her role in her family’s escape from Russia. Rache has always seen the tintype photo of the young Nana Sashie, but has never gotten any glimpses of the little girl in her elderly relative until Sashie beings telling the story. Rache learns to love the changes the story of the family’s past brings to Nana Sashie’s face as she talks about the family’s dangerous journey. Prompted by her best friend, Rache writes down the story told her by Nana Sashie.

In Chapter 1, Rache tries to make conversation with her great-grandmother. She tries to follow the rules her parents have given her about what she can and can’t do and say around the elderly Nana Sashie. She is not to talk about...