Follow your dreams! This is the motto of this clever, sensitive girl’s novel. Calpurnia is twelve when she realizes that the path laid out for her does not align with her own aspirations: she is supposed to learn cooking, knitting, and piano playing so that she can soon marry and start a family. However, Cal would rather wander through nature, observe plants and animals, and take notes on her discoveries. The only one who understands her is her grandfather, a quirky researcher and tinkerer. He appreciates her enthusiasm and curiosity, gifts her books, and opens her eyes to the technological advancements and scientific discoveries of the emerging 20th century. In this way, Cal carves out her path to an independent future.