The story begins in Zimbabwe and is told by 10-year-old Darling. She and her group of young friends are traveling from their shantytown called Paradise to a nearby town called Budapest to steal guavas. The group didn’t eat that morning, and even though they will get in trouble if caught, they’re undaunted in their mission. In addition to Darling, the ragtag group of friends is comprised of 11-year-old Bastard, who, as the strongest in the group, has appointed himself as the leader; Chipo, an 11-year-old girl who “used to outrun everybody in all of Paradise but not anymore because someone made her pregnant” (4); Godknows, a 10-year-old male; 9-year-old Sbho, the most gorgeous girl in town (and she knows it); and Stina, a young boy whose age is unknown because he doesn’t have a birth certificate. The group stops to let Chipo rest, and a discussion about where babies come from ensues, with no one really knowing the correct answer.

Budapest is a big city, with houses and streets with names. The group usually finds one street and steals all the guavas from the trees before moving on to another street.