The story of the Tomoe School in Tokyo during World War II, which associated learning with fun, freedom and love. This unusual school had old railroad cars as classrooms and was run by an extraordinary man – its founder and principal, Sosaku Kobayashi – who believed strongly in freedom of expression and activity. In these places, the young Totto-chan takes a liking to studying, accepts her failures and gains autonomy, writes haikus and dreams of dancing. She also understands what racism and intolerance are, and discovers the harsh reality of war. In 1945, Tomoe was destroyed by bombing. However, in just a few years, this institution like no other will have determined Totto-chan's entire life. In real life, the little girl in the book has become one of Japan's most popular TV personalities: Tetsuko Kuroyanagi. She attributes her success to this wonderful school and its principal.