Amelia Hester McLeod is named after two of her mum's favourite explorers, Ameila Earheart and Lady Hester Stanhope. But Ameila herself doen't always feel very brave or bright. She lives on the tiny Scottish island of Dark Muir, her mum has walked out on her and she's about to start at a whole new, scary school. Her dyslexia means she's a target for the school bullies. When she makes a wish on her birthday to be reunited with her mum, she finds herself quite literally disappearing at times of stress and reappearing elsewhere on the island, where she finds clues and snapshots of her parents' past.