The story of a white New Rochelle family of Father whose lives become intertwined with Coahouse Walker a charismatic jazz pianist, and his lover, Sarah who with her illegitimate child is taken in by the New Rochelle Family. The third story line belongs to Tateh a Jewish immigrant who, inspired by hopes of a better life for his daughter, turns a knack for creating animated silhouette picture books into a career as a movie director.