World War II. Tea Leaf Annie follows one young girl's memories of the 1940's. It was a different time - a red, white and blue era where citizens pulled together to support the United States of America. Young men went to war, many to become honored by a gold star on a banner in the window of a home of a family with broken hearts. The author relates her memories of the upheaval in her own home and her everyday life, prewar and post war. It is the story of thousands of children no matter where they fell geographically. These recollections were formed in two sections of a small Massachusetts town, North and West Chelmsford, but were much the same across the country. Her father did not have to go due to his age, he was married and had a child. But he was firm about his need to leave and with his experience at the local lumber company joined a Naval Construction Battalion, the CB's. He left behind a bewildered little girl, "Why Daddy, Why?"