Jamesetta's life is upturned when her parents separate. Because her mother has to work full time, Jamesetta has to spend a year in St. Louis with her aunt's family. Just as soon as she returns to Chicago, her daddy announces that he has been drafted into the army. Having always been regarded as a "daddy's girl", Jamesetta is distressed by her father's absence. It is World War II and civilian life is strongly impacted by shortages and war support activities. Since she expects her father to be gone a long time, Jamesetta begins to plan ways of getting her parents back together. School, with its challenges, and friends, with their issues, keep Jamesetta busy. She's never too busy to try to get her daddy back home.