Maggie, aged 12, is looking forward to her summer visit with her father and stepmother, and especially to meeting her new baby half-sister. Unfortunately, the summer is full of tension. Maggie`s father and stepmother`s relationship is in trouble, and Maggie discovers that her father has lost his job but has not informed his wife. To further complicate matters, her father is suffering from heart problems and refuses to take his medication. When Maggie discovers that the beautiful Blue Heron who lives near the lake is being stalked by a neighborhood boy who intends to kill it, she sets out to save the bird that she sees as a symbol of herself and her problems.