Carolina lives with her mother, Melanie, and baby sister Trinity on an old school bus. They live in poverty, because Melanie doesn't hold a job or stay in one place long enough to settle down. Carolina makes friends with wheelchair bound Stefan, son of extremely wealthy parents, on whose land Melanie has parked the bus. Carolina also adopts a baby crow, who is growing up living on the bus, and sitting on her shoulder all day, but doesn't seem interested in learning to fly. Carolina eventually meets Stefan's mother, a deeply sad, but good-hearted socialite. In time, Carolina has to make a truly difficult decision that will affect the rest of her life, as she learns what freedom and responsibility really mean. ( )