* 1977 New York City: This is where the story of Ben, a deaf boy, begins. He lives in a small town in Minnesota but travels to New York City searching for his mother.
* 1927 New York City: This is the story of Rose, a young girl living in a deaf community in New York City. She is searching for her father, a famous magician.
While both stories take place in New York City, the stories are separated by 50 years and the two characters' experiences differ greatly. The book uses visual storytelling, with text and illustrations, to capture the essence of both time periods and locations.