Beverly King and his younger brother, Felix, are sent to live with an aunt and uncle in Carlisle when their widowed father finds work in a distant land. This story is told from Bev's point of view. He makes friends with the children of the neighborhood, including a girl named Sarah Stanley whose flair for storytelling is celebrated throughout the area. Her talent delights her audience who comes to the charming community of Carlisle to listen to the story girl tell exciting adventures and captivating misfortunes that sometimes have a little truth from the history of the families living in the district. Children and adults alike gather from miles around to attend her awe-inspiring narratives. Sarah is only fourteen years old, but she designs tales that are impossible to reject so that her listeners are dependent on every word. Sarah is not only enchanting and imaginative but also intelligent and sensible. The combination of these intriguing qualities make this book one that a reader will visit over and over again with an appetite for a well-told tale.