"Craig and his siblings spend their youth toiling on their parents' farm and the surrounding farms in the neighborhood. On the one hand, because they need all the help they can get, and on the other, because they only get a little pocket money, which can then be immediately spent on comics and other things. They mostly grow ginseng, an exotic medicinal plant that promises the most profits. 
In a mixture of memoir, travelogue, non-fiction and essay, Craig Thompson tells autofictional stories about class differences, personal experiences and the strong bond between unequal siblings - but global issues such as agriculture, factory farming, holistic healing and, last but not least, ginseng are also highlighted." (Reprodukt)