Walter and Lisetta is the story of a Nebraska family from1938 until 1959. The main characters, Walter and Lisetta, raise their three daughters through times of difficulty and enjoyment. In each book, factual information about World War II, The Korean War, and the Vietnam War is included intermittently as the story progresses. This emphasizes that war is at times prominent in the lives of the characters while, at other times, it is on the periphery of their thoughts.

Walter is portrayed as an energetic man who is worried about many things: war, illness, fatherhood, and finances. Lisetta is the consoler, encourager, and "touchstone" of the family. The daughters, who are portrayed as delightful children, look to both their mother and their grandmother, Minnie, as role models. For both Walter and Lisetta, their love of the land and for the farming community influence their way of life.