This book is about a boy who has come from a broken home into foster care. Even though he may move around a lot his favorite shirt is always close by. Over the course of the homes he visits his favorite shirt picks up a stain from each adventure. This leads to the title, The Boy with the Rainbow Shirt. It may not be a traditional rainbow-colored shirt just like how his family may not be the traditional style family we tend to think of, but his foster families leave him with his shirt stained full of happy memories. The conclusion of the story is met when the boy finally feels at home after staying with a foster parent who he discovers has a rainbow shirt of her own and can relate to his current situation.