Little Ida is a spruce tree that grows up with a family in Appleton, Wisconsin. Planted next to the house, with a bench nearby, she watches and listens to the comings and goings of Mama Ida, Papa George, and their five daughters, all of whom are unconventional for their time, from the Depression into the early 1970s. Even though Little Ida can't talk, she certainly has many thoughts and opinions as she observes and chronicles births, deaths, and other family milestones, bringing history to life.
As change comes to the world and change comes to the family, Little Ida's roots burrow in the ground and into the hearts of the people she loves.