In the vein of Barbara O’Connor’s Wish, a moving, poignant story told in alternating perspectives about a down-on-her-luck girl who rescues a baby owl, and how the two set each other free.

Great horned owl Rufus is eight months old and still can’t hunt. When his mother is hit by a car, he discovers just how dangerous the forest can be.

Reenie has given up on adults and learned how to care for herself—a good thing, since she’s sent to live with an aunt she’s never met. Yet this aunt has a wonderful secret: she’s a falconer who agrees to help Reenie catch an injured passage hawk in the wild and rehabilitate it.

When Reenie traps bedraggled Rufus, his eyes lock onto her heart, and they form a powerful friendship. But can Rufus learn to trust in the outside world and fly free? And can Reenie open her heart enough to truly soar?

• Dual Perspective Story: Follow the alternating voices of Reenie, a lonely girl who has given up on adults, and Rufus, an orphaned great horned owl who must learn to survive.
• Friendship Between Girl and Animal: Discover an unlikely bond as Reenie rescues the injured Rufus, and the two outcasts begin to heal each other in unexpected ways.
• Found Family: When Reenie is sent to live with the falconer aunt she’s never met, she discovers that family isn’t just something you’re born into, but something you can build.
• A Coming-of-Age Journey: A heartfelt story about learning to trust, opening your heart after it’s been broken, and finding the courage to soar.
• Falconry and Wildlife: Explore the fascinating world of falconry as Reenie and her aunt work to rehabilitate injured birds of prey in the beautiful Vermont wilderness.