Chapters 1 through 3 Summary and Analysis

Chapter 1: Child of Pine

Janisse Ray grew up in rural Georgia, outside a town called Baxley in Appling County. The town was small with a population of only 3,500 during its most prosperous times. Janisse lived in a small house the yard of which led directly to the junkyard her parents ran. The small children were not allowed to play in the junkyard—there were multiple dangers lurking there. One of the dangers were the men the kids would see sneaking in at night and stealing radiators and other things off the cars.

Janisse's father insisted that she and her older sister, Kay, take piano lessons. Janisse hated the lessons and told her father that he was wasting money—she'd never catch on. Janisse would much rather be outside with the trees. Her favorite tree was a large...