The basis of the story is the experience of Sarah Whister who was 16 years old and was one of the first settlers who traveled to America. Suddenly the war between the metropoly and the newsettlers started. The British overtook New York and were threating Philadelphia already. Sally's parents realized the danger of staying in the city and they moved to the farm of William & Hannah Foulke which was situated about 15 miles from Philadelphia itself. The attacks continued for almost a year (September 1777 - July 1778) and during this time the girl had a diary and wrote down all her impressions and feelings because she wanted to share this with her friend Debby. A number of events happened during this time. The British soldiers captured the city after many fights, General Washington entrenched at Whitemarsh, France recognized the independence of America and at the end the British left the land. Before the war Sarah was a child still but after seeing all the horror and devastation, she became an adult. The novel is a wonderful account of that time. It would give you a glimpse on the history of the American war for independence as well as you would dive into the personal experience and feelings of a girl who had seen so much, that she grew up for 10 years in just one year.