A young boy, Travis, moves from cotton farms in isolated areas to a small cotton farm a short walking distance down a dirt road to the very small but thriving town of Keiser, Arkansas. Three families live in his yard. Two of the families are black, and one of these families has four children about the same age as him. Most of this book centers around the relationships and activities between Travis and these families. Ben Whistle is a craggy old neighbor who provides the drama. The purpose of writing this book is to indicate an enjoyable and interesting era that vanished long ago, never to return.