God child Pretty Pearl, younger sister of John de Conquer and John Henry, comes down from Mount Kenya to try life as a human child in the Post-Civil War American South. After a long journey through the South with a cast of characters from American and African folklore, as well as with Mother Pearl, the adult aspect of the god child herself, she comes upon the Inside Folks, a clandestine self-supporting community of Free Blacks, linked to the outside world only through their connections with Cherokee and Shawnee Amerinds. Drawn to the humans and their "winning ways," Pearl must eventually choose between her own immortal power and her newly emerging identity within a struggling mortal community. Hamilton skillfully weaves myth, legend and history into a complex pattern of hopes and dream to create a truly American odyssey. (Age 12 and older)

One long time ago, Pretty Pearl god child lived high on a mountaintop in Africa with all other gods. Curious about mankind and itching to show off her powers, she came down off the mountain with her brother, know-all best god John de Conquer, and sailed on a slave ship for America. There she saw the suffering of the black people, and felt their sorrow right behind her eyes . Pretty Pearl knew now was her time to act.Brother John gave her a magical necklace, a set of rules to follow, and a warning to be careful. "Them human bein's be awful tricky," he said."they has most winnin' ways."

Drawing upon her fabulous storehouse of black legend, myth, and folklore, Virginia Hamilton has ventured into new ways of exploring the human spirit in this extrodinary fantasy filled with mysteries, beauty, and hope.