In today's age of modern technology, it might be impossible for some readers to imagine what the lives of these seven children were like growing up in the Midwestern United Sates in the mid-1900s. This family of nine managed to survive by living off the land with no electricity, telephones, piped-in water, or automobiles in their early lives. Somehow, they survived and became stronger because of their early hardships. A sense of closeness, loyalty, love, and respect for each other are all portrayed in this combination of prose, rhyming poetry, and pictures. This is an easy, delightful, and sometimes poignant read.