Sister, Brother, Stranger

Virgil Crandall has six days to prove he deserves custody of his ten-year-old sister Pearl—six days to get from a Kansas work farm to their aunt's home in Duluth before a social worker sends Pearl to a state institution. But two escaped stowaways, a stolen truck, and a detour to Kansas City throw every plan into chaos. Now Virgil must navigate con artists, a dangerous bookmaker, and a secret Pearl has been keeping about their missing mother, all while learning that doing the right thing and doing the easy thing are never the same road.