The Chicago World's Fair in 1893 is opening with many women attending the International Convention of Woman's Progress. A guest speaker is Dr. Billy Jack Tate, who is being detained from entering as the hall is full and none of the guards believe her to be a doctor and guest speaker. Intent on giving her speech, Billy tries to shimmy through a cellar window and is caught by a Texas Ranger, Hunter Scott, who is temporarily assigned there. Seeing only her backside and enticing pantalets-trousers, she finally convinces him to allow her entry.

Having little luck gaining patients with her shingle hung, Billy is thrilled when the President of the Board of Lady Managers offers her a position as physician at the Woman's Building for the duration of the fair. With funds depleting quickly, this is a prayer answered. Things progress normally until a guard is brought in with severe stomach cramping and is none other than Ranger Scott. This is the beginning of their friendship which escalates when he brings a newborn infant to her ,which he found deserted at the fair. Taking the infant to Hull House, operated by women to help with the devastated West Chicago side in caring for infants and helping destitute families, was just the beginning of their involvement. Hunter and Billy were appalled at the horrendous conditions of the West side and the jails into which young children were also thrown, and worked hard to build the first playground to keep children off the streets and out of the saloons. Falling deeply in love, the biggest obstacle to overcome is Hunter insisting she be a stay at home mother while Billy insists he will be a stay at home father instead. Tragedy strikes a 9 year old boy they have befriended where life in prison is imminent and which changes everything.

This being the origin of the Playground Association of America, an abundance of information was given through this story, using actual places and some of the people of that time and place. The conditions of the West side of Chicago were deplorable and incomprehensible to me as a reader. I was devastated at the look of conditions and treatment of children during that era. Even though of hard times, the history was something I will never forget, as it was related so graphically through the words and pictures throughout. This is a truly remarkable author that can provide so heart wrenching a story with so much history and keep the reader engrossed, page after page.