To eight-year-old Grace Davitt, the world is full of strange wonders. Through the eyes of her mother, Anna-an ornithologist who speaks five languages-their small lakeside town in Vermont becomes a glittering mystery filled with secret tongues, monsters in the lake, and birthday parties for the Earth. Anna's untamed spirit stands in sharp contrast to that of Grace's father, a chemistry teacher who examines his surroundings through the lens of rationalism and order. As Grace's family begins to fall apart and she finds that she must choose between her parents, her conflicting loyalties take her on a remarkable journey that spans all corners of the country-and of her own boundless imagination.