The book revolves around a feisty 10-year-old girl named Tracy Beaker, who is living in a children's residential care home (nicknamed "The Dumping Ground") as she is in foster care. Tracy has a wild imagination and often tells stories about her life, which is filled with dreams of her mother coming back to take her away. The book is written in Tracy's voice, with her drawings scattered throughout, giving readers a glimpse into her mind and emotions. Despite the harsh reality of her situation, Tracy remains hopeful and defiant, making her a relatable and inspiring character.

The novel follows the tumultuous life of Astrid Magnussen, a young girl who is placed in a series of foster homes after her mother, Ingrid, is imprisoned for murder. As Astrid navigates the challenges of her ever-changing environments, she grapples with issues of identity, resilience, and survival. Each foster home presents its own set of trials and lessons, shaping Astrid's journey toward self-discovery and independence. The story delves deeply into themes of maternal influence, abandonment, and the quest for personal strength amidst adversity.

A spirited and tough eleven-year-old girl, Gilly, has been shuffled through the foster care system, developing a hard exterior to protect herself from disappointment and rejection. Her latest placement with the warm and quirky Trotter family challenges her defenses, as she navigates her desire for a real family and the hope of reuniting with her biological mother. Through unexpected friendships and heartfelt experiences, Gilly learns valuable lessons about love, acceptance, and the true meaning of family.

An investigative narrative tracing a landmark class-action lawsuit against New York City’s foster care system, it interweaves courtroom battles with the intimate story of a teenage girl and her child as they are shuttled through group homes and institutions. The book reveals how sectarian agency control, public funding, and bureaucratic inertia entrenched racial and religious inequities, producing neglect and abuse despite reform efforts, and shows how even a hard-won consent decree yielded mixed, often heartbreaking results for the very children it sought to protect.