Set in a North Carolina manufacturing town during the polio epidemic of 1950, the story is told through the eyes of 10-year old Jerry, who has all of the advantages of, a middle-class life Style, and his best friend, Whitey, who lives on welfare with his mother and 4-year old sister, Sandy.
Whitey is devoted to his polio-stricken sister, who has a fondness for angels, and likes to be read to from her favorite book, The Littlest Angel. He saves money from his paper route to buy her an angel doll, only to discover that there are none left in the whole town. With single-minded determination, Jerry and Whitey set out to find one, and along the way, face fear, prejudice and theft. They learn what is truly important as their lives and the lives of others are.