Fifteen-year-old James has just discovered the magnificence of nature—but can he protect it from the phoniness of the material world?
When his academic-minded parents decide to forsake civilization for a wilderness summer in the Sierra Nevada mountains, James Fielding figures he’ll be counting the minutes until it’s over. But in the woods one day, he comes upon a magnificent deer and becomes fascinated by its majesty and beauty. Then he meets two very different girls. Thirteen-year-old Griffin Donahue is “pure and free and beautiful.” Diane Jarrett is a tanned, “hot-pink-bikinied” goddess. Griffin is at one with nature. Diane is slumming at the nearby exclusive camp, with its decadent luxury and A-list guests. When these two worlds collide, threatening the existence of the stag, James embarks on a quest to find a friend who’s gone missing—and to save a life.
This ebook features an extended biography of Zilpha Keatley Snyder.
Zilpha Keatley Snyder (b. 1927) is a three-time Newbery Honor–winning author of adventure and fantasy novels for children. Her smart, honest, and accessible narrative style has made her books beloved by generations. When not writing, she enjoys reading and traveling. Snyder lives in Mill Valley, California.