Primrose Squarp simply knows her parents did not perish at sea during a terrible storm, but try convincing the other residents of Coal Harbour. For all practical purposes, at least for the time being, Primrose is an orphan, and there's no great clamoring of prospective adopters. The town council is able to locate a relative, Uncle Jack, who reluctantly takes Primrose in. But true sanctuary can always be found at a restaurant called The Girl on the Red Swing, where everything, including lasagna, is served on a waffle, and where the proprietor, Miss Bowzer, offers a willing ear and sage advice. Eleven-year-old Primrose living in a small fishing village in British Columbia recounts her experiences and all that she learns about human nature and the unpredictability of life in the months after her parents are lost at sea.

"A Groundwood book".