It is 1854 in Westfield, Massachusetts. Charlotte is happy to finally have a friend at school. The only problem is that her friend Maggie is Irish, and there have been escalating anti-Irish sentiments in the town. Tensions between the Yankee and Irish residents continue to rise, involving not only Charlotte but also her brother Zach and her aunt and uncle. Will Charlotte's friendship with Maggie survive? Why do some of the Yankees in the town want to free Southern slaves, yet hold prejudiced views about the Irish?