This is a painful story of eight-year-old Clairie, the daughter of a doctor and his wife, in the summer of 1940. This couple is so intent on realizing their financial and social dreams that they fail to address the emotional needs of Clairie and her eleven-year-old sister, Dorine.
While Dorine feels at home in the Edgewood Baptist Church, Clairie has only Clarence—a scruffy stuffed bear who comforts and advises her—and a troop of fairies who lure her into fantasy when reality gets too close.
A trio of senior citizens takes Clairie into their hearts, recognizes her pain, and tries to save her from the burden of a secret guilt from events over which she had no control. The Long Dark Shadow haunts her nights and will destroy her life if they cannot help her resolve the guilt she carries.
