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Chapter 1: Sal's New Life in Euclid, Ohio

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Chapter 1: Sal's New Life in Euclid, Ohio

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Thirteen-year-old Salamanca Tree Hiddle moves from her beloved farm in Bybanks, Kentucky to a small house in Euclid, Ohio with her father. This move sets the stage for the entire story as Sal struggles to adjust to her new surroundings and cope with missing her mother who left a year ago.

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Sal meets her mysterious neighbor, Mrs. Cadaver, who she immediately distrusts and fears. Mrs. Cadaver becomes a source of anxiety for Sal, especially when she learns that her father has been spending time with this woman. This meeting introduces one of the story's key relationships.

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Sal begins her cross-country trip to Idaho with her eccentric grandparents, Gram and Gramps. They plan to retrace the route that Sal's mother took when she left, hoping to bring her back home. This journey becomes the framework for the entire novel.

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As they travel, Sal starts telling her grandparents the story of her friend Phoebe Winterbottom and her missing mother. This story-within-a-story structure allows Sal to process her own feelings about her mother's departure through Phoebe's similar experience.

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Sal tells about the strange messages that appeared on Phoebe's porch, including 'Don't judge a man until you've walked two moons in his moccasins.' These messages become central to understanding the novel's theme about empathy and understanding others.

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Chapter 15: Mrs. Winterbottom Disappears

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Chapter 15: Mrs. Winterbottom Disappears

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In Sal's story, Phoebe's mother suddenly disappears, leaving only a note saying she needs to clear her thoughts. This mirrors Sal's own experience with her mother's departure and helps readers understand the parallel between the two situations.

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Sal reveals that the 'lunatic' Phoebe feared was actually Mike Bickle, Mrs. Winterbottom's son from before her marriage. This discovery teaches both Phoebe and Sal about making assumptions and the importance of getting to know the whole story before judging someone.

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During their journey, Gram is bitten by a water moccasin while swimming in a river. This incident creates urgency in their trip and shows how quickly life can change. Gramps rushes her to the hospital, and Sal must confront the possibility of losing another important person in her life.

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Sal finally reaches Lewiston, Idaho, where her mother was supposed to be. However, instead of finding her mother alive and waiting, Sal must face the devastating truth about what really happened. This is the climax of her emotional journey.

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Sal discovers that her mother died in a bus accident while traveling to Idaho to visit her cousin. She learns that her mother never intended to leave permanently but died before she could return home. This revelation helps Sal understand that her mother didn't abandon her by choice.

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Sal learns that Mrs. Cadaver was the only survivor of the bus crash that killed her mother. Mrs. Cadaver had been trying to help Sal and her father cope with their grief, which explains why Sal's father had been spending time with her. This understanding helps Sal see Mrs. Cadaver in a completely new light.

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By the end of the novel, Sal has learned to accept her mother's death and understand that sometimes people leave not because they want to, but because circumstances force them to. She returns home with a new appreciation for her father and a better understanding of herself and others.