In December of 1937 two young girls aged 9 and 4, May and August, lived blissfully with their parents in Nanjing. Unfortunately, the outbreak of the war totally changed their lives. May's parents were killed by the Japanese soldiers, and the girls taken to a refugee camp. Once May's uncle learned of the tragedy, he retrieved the two girls from the camp. But when the Japanese invaders took full control of the city, May and August would then have to learn to be strong to face all the upcoming challenges.