Hannah is a girl whose mother and father are gone because of the war. She lives with her aunt Tanta Rose and Tanta Rose's friend Vashti. Hannah has two sisters, Libbie and Eve. Their family is Jewish and lives within a Jewish community. Hannah is an artist and she loves to draw the angels that she sees at night, as well as things in her everyday life. Harry Weitz is a guy that lives in Hannah's neighborhood and on whom she has a crush. In town, Mr. Baccaro is setting up a greasy pole for the afternoon. Chip Pilasky works with Hannah selling newspapers on the corner for change. Eve, the youngest of the three girls, loves to make up songs that go along with whatever she is doing that day. There is also a boy in town named Ovadiah, who escaped going to the war because he wanted to take care of this younger siblings. Everyone makes fun of Ovadiah, especially a town bully name Rocky. At the end of the chapter, Tanta Rose comes home and Libbie, Eve, and Tanta Rose all take a bath. The three of them and Hannah all spend time together, bathing and brushing Tanta Rose's hair.