As a young refugee from Sudan, Kek, the novel’s protagonist, arrives in Minnesota alone. His father and brother were killed in a violent raid back home and he was separated from his mother, who was left behind. With the help of a resettlement center, Kek is reunited with his aunt and older cousin. Kek faces the challenges of assimilation into a new and at times frightening and confusing world with his characteristic innocence, humor, and seemingly infinite supply of hope.

Kek sees education as a blessing, an opportunity that was rarely available in his native country. His trust in his teacher and his enthusiasm for learning and becoming part of a community within the classroom exemplify Kek’s open mind and courageous spirit—an attitude that allows him to be accepted into a group of diverse friends. Kek’s sense of responsibility prompts him to help his aunt with chores around the house, but his good intentions backfire when he mistakes the clothes washing machine for a dishwasher, and his aunt’s dishes break. The event also opens up the wound that Kek bears for his dead father, as he thinks of how proud his father would be to see Kek helping his family.