Relates the experiences of a young girl and her mother as they backpack in the desert where the child learns about the plants, animals, birds, and rock formations.
In June 1907, twelve-year-old Samantha looks forward to a happy summer with Nellie and her younger sisters at Grandmary's country home in the Adirondacks but a series of mysterious accidents on the property lead Samantha to suspect that someone is deliberately causing trouble.