The Yangtze in our story is not China's river, but rather a magical place in the Canadian countryside on the outskirts of a small town. There, in the 1950s, a group of children look forward to what promises to be a glorious summer. There are six of them--all different in age and character. Nancy is a down-to-earth girl, and her only challenge in life is Andrew, her elder brother. Then there are Clare, Amy, Sandra, and Tracy. The children have known each other and their families for most of their lives, but this is the year when everything they ever thought they knew will change.