With humor, sensitivity, and a keen sense of history, Don Hattin transports the reader back in time to Scituate as it was during the Great Depression and World War II. He introduces family members, gives a tour of his home, and describes the barn which was setting for much youthful mischief. Next, stories of Hatherly School, its teachers, and its activities, are related in vivid detail. Don entertains with accounts of construction efforts a train, playhouse, pirate ship, underground hideout, tree houses, a boat, and two chicken coops. He acquaints us with several neighborhood characters Jere Ainslie, whose small store featured genuine penny candy Lonnie Pratt, hardware clerk at Seavern's Store Hymie Cohen, the ragman Eloise Curtis, bakeshop entrepreneur Louis Haartz, hopeful builder of the sloop Rainy Day Pa Swift, builder of 66.00 backyard swimming pool and a host of playmates and teenage buddies. World War II is recounted in terms of scrap drives food, gasoline, and shoe rationing co