When Ruby's grandmother, Miss Eula goes to visit a new grandchild in Hawaii, nine-year-old Ruby is sure that she will have a lonely and boring summer in Halleluia, Mississippi. After all, what other granddaughter-grandmother duo would drive the getaway car for chickens rescued from the slaughterhouse, or paint a house shellshock pink? Instead, Ruby makes a new friend, saves the school play, writes plenty of letters to her favorite (and only) grandmother...and finally learns to stop blaming herself for her grandfather's death.