The story of two small town boys from different sides of the tracks: 1950's childhood and self-redemption. Young "Whitey" Black (so called because of a tuft of blanched hair on the left side of his head) lives in poverty with his single mother and ailing, four-year old sister, Sandy. Just across town, young Jerry Barlow lives the advantages of a middle class lifestyle with both parents and his younger brother. When mischief casts Whitey and Jerry into a shared paper route, Jerry quickly learns of Whitey's desire to buy his sister an angel doll for Christmas. Even though no such dolls exist in their hometown, Whitey, Jerry and a host of colorful characters set out in search of Sandy's gift. Along the way, reversals of fortune, theft, prejudice and, ultimately, the boy's friendship opens their eyes to the vastness of the small town around them.

Sinopsis Ambientada en una localidad de Carolina del Norte, durante la edpidemia de polio de 1950. La historia está contada por Jerry, un niño de diez años cuyo mejor amigo, "Whitey" tiene una hermana pequeña enferma de polio. Whitey está muy unido a su hermana, que tiene debilidad por los ángeles.