小说的故事发生在油麻地，故事中通过对主人公男孩桑桑刻骨铭心而又终身难忘的六年小学生活地描写，讲述了五个孩子，桑桑、秃鹤、杜小康、细马、纸月和油麻地的老师蒋一轮、白雀关系的纠缠和孩子们苦痛的成长历程。六年中，桑桑亲眼目睹或直接参与了一连串看似寻常但又催人泪下、感动人心的故事：少男少女之间毫无瑕疵的纯情，不幸少年与厄运相拼时的悲怆与优雅，垂暮老人在最后一瞬间所闪耀的人格光彩，在体验死亡中对生命的深切而优美的领悟，大人们之间扑朔迷离且又充满诗情画意的情感纠葛......这一切，既清楚又朦胧地展现在少年桑桑的世界里。（The novel story happens in Yau Ma Tei. By describing the impressive and unforgettable six-year primary school life of the boy Sangsang, the leading character, the story narrates the entanglement between the five children Sangsang, Tuhe, Du Xiaokang, Xima, Zhi Yue and the teachers Jiang Yilun and Bai Que in Yau Ma Tei as well as the painful growth process. In the six years, Sangsang witnesses or directly takes part in a series of seemingly common but weepy and touching stories: pure affection between boys and girls without flaws, sorrow and elegance of an unfortunate boy struggling with misfortune, the personal glory of an old man glaring at the last moment, the deep and graceful comprehension of life by experiencing death and the confusing and complicated emotional entanglement among the adults...All these are displayed clearly and hazily in the world of young Sangsang.）