A haunting novel about a mysterious child who teaches two adults what it means to trust and love.
After the death of her mother and a battle with her own illness, ornithologist Joanna returns to her research project. She tries to prove to herself that she has overcome all the hardships, and from morning to night she studies the nesting birds in a rural area in Illinois. But one day, Joanne's routine is disrupted by a mysterious girl who appears barefoot and battered on her doorstep.
The girl calls herself Ursa and claims to have come from a distant galaxy to live among humans until she witnesses five miracles. Joanna fears that the child has run away from home, so she hesitantly agrees to let him stay with her for a while. In the meantime, he intends to find out where Ursa is from and whether he can safely return there. To solve this mystery, he turns to his neighbour, the reclusive and withdrawn Gabriel Nash, for help.
But with each day Jo and Gabe spend with Ursa, the unanswered questions grow and the suspicions grow stronger. How come the little girl not only reads but understands Shakespeare? Why are good things suddenly happening around her? And why don't a couple of adults look at a website dedicated to missing children as often as they did in the beginning?
Although the trio share an incredibly strong bond, they all know that the end of summer will bring with it some tough decisions. Before Ursa sees the last miracle, painful secrets will emerge from the past - and the fate of all three friends will be in the stars.
