"In this illustrated early chapter book, a forest fire threatens the town of Waterton and Cricket and her brother do their best to save their home."--

Eleven-year-old Yonder stopped talking when her mother died, and she stopped going to school because of the bullies, knowing that her father would never even notice (although the social worker did); indeed the only creature that seems to care about her is the one-eyed Shetland pony called Dirt who lives on the neighboring farm -- so when she discovers that Dirt is about to be sold for horsemeat she is determined to find a way to save him.

When she confronts a screaming raccoon that may or may not be a ghost, animal control officer Francine Poulet questions her abilities.

An act of tender compassion is given (and repaid) in secret during an icy winter night. "One snowy night, a fox loses its way, entering a village. Chased away by the grown ups, Fox takes shelter in a greenhouse. A little boy sees this from his window. Without hesitating, he brings a basket of food to the greenhouse, where he leaves it for the fox. His gift is noticed and the night becomes a garden of new life, nourished by compassion and kindness....