Daniel and his family are living in the Lodz ghetto when Daniel first meets Rosa in Daniel's Story by Carol Matas. His sister, Erika, brings Rosa home after a youth group meeting to introduce her to the family, but Daniel is highly embarrassed, because he is sitting in his underwear. Rosa works with Erika at the factory, but she also leads meetings for the young people in the ghetto to help them keep up their spirits, deal with their situation, and resist the Nazis in every way possible. The meetings make the young people want to stay alive.

Rosa is committed to helping others in any way possible, and she involves Daniel in her efforts. Together, for instance, they help two children whose father is greedy and steals their rations. Rosa and Daniel steal his rations in return and leave a note of warning signed "The Avengers." Pretty soon, the father stops stealing.

Rosa also assists Daniel and Friedrich in taking the wooden furniture from an abandoned apartment to use for fuel. Rosa and Erika even lead a rebellion at the factory for more and better food for workers like themselves. The workers go on a hunger strike (secretly eating part of the soup that Daniel and others provide), and the management eventually has to give in and allow larger, better portions.

Eventually, Rosa must go into hiding as the threatened transports become a reality. As Daniel and Rosa say goodbye, they agree that they will meet in Lodz when the war is over. They will hold onto hope for each other, and they will hold onto their love. Thoughts of Rosa keep Daniel going during the most difficult days at Auschwitz, and finally, they are reunited. As they reconnect, Rosa tells Daniel how she found Erika and sat beside the girl as she was dying, not leaving her for a moment. The couple decides that they will get married and carry on in honor of all those who could not.