When a ghost shows up at the threshold to Ferris's grandmother Charisse's room, Ferris worries that she's there to take Charisse to the Great Beyond. But Charisse says that the ghost has something else in mind--something unpredictable, a task that's impractical and illuminating. But how can Ferris focus on completing an assignment for a ghost when her little sister is terrorizing the town, her uncle keeps sending her to spy on her aunt, and the house...

Thirteen-year-old Maddy Rollag struggles with prairie life on her aunt and uncle's farm in Dakota Territory, but on January 12, 1888, when a blizzard threatens to trap Maddy and her classmates inside their damaged schoolhouse, she finds the courage and strength to lead them to safety. Includes historical note, glossary, and discussion questions.