At thirteen, as the oldest child in her family, Ann bravely steps into the role of an adult, working full-time in service to a wealthy family uptown. In the mansion on the hill, she meets the class differences and modern conveniences that separate her family's neighborhood of mine-owned company houses and the luxuries her employers take for granted.
Ann and several other female servants share all the trials and adventures of teenage life and love as they adjust to their new "big girl" roles while experiencing the culture shock of living between rich versus poor and child versus adult. In the process, Ann finds new friends and support from unexpected sources. She discovers that people everywhere are just people, and we all must learn to help each other.