Twelve-year-old Suzy Bowels lives in the tiny town of Burr Oak, Michigan, where her family expects her to stay, have a family, and be a proper lady. But she has other ideas. Suzy’s dream is to explore the world and have adventures, so when her wayward uncle comes to work on their farm but ends up disappearing mysteriously in the mornings and skipping out on chores, she has to investigate. But she didn’t expect to find him working on the legendary former circus queen Madame Marantette’s farm, training ostriches. And of course, she couldn’t possibly just walk away from an opportunity like that. This book is one of my favorites, because it shows that through hard work, determination, and a bit of begging, you can really do whatever your heart desires.