Miss Giardino is a rare testament to the inner life of a teacher, and to the possibility of growth and self-discovery at any age. As the novel begins, retired schoolteacher Anna Giardino is found unconscious in front of the high school where she once taught, in San Francisco's Mission District. She is unable to remember what has happened or who she is.

Gradually, Anna begins to recover tender but painful memories of her Italian American, working-class childhood, of her escape through education, and of her years devoted to teaching. But Anna must acknowledge that she has arrived at the end of her career estranged - from herself, from her profession, and from the students she sought to enlighten. Only when she confronts the events surrounding her mysterious "accident" can Anna accept and affirm her life.