When Barbara Bracht's mother disappears, no one tells the young girl that her mother has died-- not even her father. She is left a confused child whose father is intent upon erasing any memory of the mother. Forced to keep the secret of their mother's existence from her younger brother, Eddie, Barbara struggles to keep from being crushed under the weight of family secrets as she comes of age and tries to educate herself, despite her father's stance against women's education.A story of loss and resilience, Veronica's Grave likewise shows the power of literature―from Little Orphan Annie and  Prince Valiant to the incomparable Nancy Drew―to offer hope where there is little. Touching the hearts of anyone who has dealt with loss at a young age, this story -- painful to remember, too important to forget -- offers the reader a clearer, more optimistic perspective on life. Told with true literary sensibility, this captivating memoir asks us to consider what it is that parents owe their children, and how far a child need go to make things right for her family.