Rose Concannon

"If eleven-year-old Rose Concannon can get her brother and sister to the neighbrohood Catholic school "everyday, fed, clean and on time, with their homework done", they may avoid the scrutiny of the Irish nuns. It is 1963, shortly after the Kennedy assassination. Rose's father, the only stable adult in her life, has left their Seattle home and Rose is in charge. Her teenage brother, David, hides in his bedroom building smoke and stink bombs to set off in church and school. Her younger sister, Margaret, has become the playground extortionist and bully. Four-year-old Tommy is deaf, although the family doesn't know it, and eats his meals under the table like a feral dog. Rose's mother, recently home from the psychiatric hospital with another baby, dresses in a pink Jackie Kennedy style suit and flips pancakes for her family as if all is well. If the nuns detect trouble they will send the Catholic Aid Society to investigate again. They have already taken her baby sister. Hope seems to arrive when young, unconvetional Aunt Katie moves in with her musician boyfriend"--Page 4 of cover.