A young girl visiting her grandparents at the beach stays in a little house and walks along the shore gathering seashells, wondering about the creatures who used to live in each shell, about the hidden treasures of the sea--and about the world.

At Grandma's house, where Julia is staying without her parents for the first time, the breeze is sweet like jasmine. Mornings begin with sugared bread, and the most magnificent hot chocolate cures all homesickness. There's something about this place and about Grandma. Like how she can tell when Julia has been quietly picking limes from the garden. Or that she can see the future--and knows when Julia is about to fall off her bike. Or how she can journey...

On Election Day, as they walk through their vibrant neighborhood on their way to vote, Quetta, her mother and her grandmother face obstacle after obstacle before and after reaching their voting station, showing Quetta the importance of raising her voice.