Abandoned by her parents, unwanted by relatives, a spoiled nine-year-old girl is taken in by a mysterious, reclusive woman, Juniper. In the small Scottish village Juniper is known to the superstitious townspeople as a pagan and herbalist; to the child she nurtures she is known as a teacher, mother and friend. The child grows wise in her company. Much of the depth of the powerful, gripping story comes through the development of individual characters and the fine descriptions of their interactions with each other. (Age 11 and older)