The Heart Is(2000) — Where

A eccentric woman who takes Novalee in and offers her a real home.

In the small town of Sequoyah, Oklahoma, seventeen-year-old finds herself at a crossroads that would terrify anyone. Heavily pregnant and possessing only $5.55 to her name, she is abandoned by her boyfriend, Willie Jack Pickens, at a local Wal-Mart . Where the Heart Is(2000)

The birth of her daughter, whom she names , transforms Novalee from a transient girl into a local celebrity. More importantly, it anchors her to a "chosen family" of eccentric, kind-hearted locals: A eccentric woman who takes Novalee in and

Over the next several years, Novalee builds a life. She discovers a talent for photography, weathers a devastating tornado that claims the life of Sister Husband, and watches as Willie Jack—who left her for a failed music career—falls into a life of ruin and regret. The birth of her daughter, whom she names

The man who saved her, whose quiet devotion challenges Novalee’s belief that she isn't worthy of love.

A resilient nurse and mother of five who becomes Novalee’s best friend.