Twelve-year-old Marlee Nisbett lives in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1958 with her parents and older siblings, Judy and David. Although she is a math prodigy, Marlee is painfully shy and has trouble talking to people. On the last day of summer before school starts, Marlee’s friend Sally encourages her to jump from the highest high dive at the pool. Marlee freezes and must be rescued by Judy. Her sister says, “You need to find a friend you have something in common with […] Someone who likes to do the same things you do. That’s what” (4).

Marlee says that she classifies people according to the type of drink they are. Some people are coffee and make her nervous while others are more calming. Her mother is hot black tea, and her father is a glass of milk. Her brother is sweet iced tea, but her sister is an ice-cold Coca-Cola.

As the family watches TV together in the evening, they learn that the Supreme Court has ordered integration in Arkansas high schools. However, the governor has shut them all down to prevent this from happening. Marlee’s father is in favor of integration while her mother and sister are not.