In the quiet library of Bracken Towers, eight-year-old Christina lives almost entirely in books, where stories shape her conscience and give form to her fears. Joan of Arc's courage leaves her shaken by the thought of sacrifice and violence, and the news that her long-absent father is returning with a new wife and an unknown boy sends her imagination into a storm of dread. Yet amid her uncertainty, Christina finds steady comfort in Miss Bertha, whose warm, faith-filled guidance teaches her that fear can be answered with prayer and that love may be learned into a home. As Christina meets Dawn, a cheerful, story-loving boy, and his affectionate painter father, she begins to glimpse the kind of family warmth she longs for. Her own stepmother's arrival proves unexpectedly lively and kind, easing the nursery's tension even as it upends Nurse's rigid habits. Adventures with Dawn then carry Christina beyond her sheltered world: a dangerous outing, a lost child, and the rescue of poor, brave Susy awaken her to hardship, compassion, and the duty of wealth. Through Miss Bertha's lessons, Christina's fear slowly yields to trust, charity, and joy. This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design.