A white family adopts a small black child and then, because they are fearful of what will happen in their small town, make a terrible decision. "This is not a novel about prejudice or race relations or brotherhood . It is about parents and children, young people and older people, about love and failure, loss and discovery, coming to terms with ourselves and others. "Edgar Allan" . is a work of art."-"The New York Times" An American Library Association Notable Book An Outstanding Book of the Year, "The New York Times"