Callie, a seventh grader, gets a restart on her life when her parents inherit a castle in Scotland. Introverted and still stinging from her friend problems at her old school, Callie begs her parents to let her be homeschooled for the remainder of the year. They agree — on one condition — that she enrolls in a social activity. Inspirited by the journal of the former lady of the castle, Callie chooses a birding club.

Her parents are distracted by the renovations needed on the run-down-castle. Her extroverted brother is loving his new public school. Callie’s first acquaintance with a girl her age ends poorly. But as the story moves along, Callie learns two important things — what it means to have a true friend and how to stick up for what she believes.

I initially thought the whole “we inherited a castle in Scotland” premise was a little over-the-top until I took the time to read the author bio and discovered she had once lived in a castle in Scotland. That helped me buy into the story. While I have 6th graders at my school, who may enjoy it, I think this book would be better in an elementary school