the story begins in the 1950s with two children, tom and cara, who live with their foster parents on a 12-acre farm in south jersey. they are taught to help out on the farm, while pursuing their own interests and going to to school. then, the children move to the north shore of staten island with their birth parents -- adjusting to parents with different rules and different values, making new friends, and participating in urban street games like stick ball and jump rope. interspersed in the narrative are sketches of important people and events of that era -- presidents eisenhower and kennedy, jonas salk, billy graham, bill wilson (aa), dick clark, and the korean and vietnam wars. 1950s-1960s fable is a fast-moving, upbeat story which is funny, sad, optimistic, and authentic, with larger-than- life characters who do not fret over life's misfortunes. the story is about conflict, endurance, and growth during an idealistic time time in america's history.