"It was a reliable garden, and friendly, and both Ob and me finally thought it right that May should have flown up out of her body right there in that friendly garden [...] Only this part of her death seemed right. [...] All the rest of it seemed so wrong, and it has been nearly six months [...] without her, and still I don't know what kind of life Ob and I are going to come up with for ourselves." Summer and Ob are lost after May's death, and their life together threatens to be disrupted forever, until Cletus starts showing up as an unwelcome (in Summer's opinion) visitor. Ob shows an interest in Cletus and his strange ways, and soon Summer, Ob, and Cletus are on the road to Putnam County to consult a spiritualist about May. Although the consultation fails in every way, their car trip helps trigger an emotional journey to recovery. Exceptional writing and memorable characters are found in this short novel about loss, friendship, and love. Honor Book, 1992 CCBC Newbery Award Discussion. (Ages 9-14)