When her beloved father dies, thirteen-year-old Emily Starr, orphaned and lonely, is sent to live with her mother's relatives at New Moon Farm, but despite her stern Aunt Elizabeth and malicious classmates, Emily's quick wit and lively imagination help her to form friendships and begin to feel at home.

High school has ended for Emily Starr, who must now decide whether to follow her childhood sweetheart, Teddy, overseas as he pursues his art career, travel to New York City in pursuit of her own dream to be a writer, or remain at New Moon Farm where, perhaps, she already has everything she needs.