When the first star twinkles in the evening sky, Margaret squeezes her eyes shut and makes three wishes-one, for a sister; two, for a dog; and three, the most important of all, that Mama will let her study medicine.

But Margaret knows it will take more than wishing on stars to change her mother's mind. "Doctoring's no kind of life for a woman," Mama says. "It's too hard and dangerous." Margaret's papa is the only doctor in the whole Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, and he works long, hard hours and faces countless perils every day.

Still, Margaret holds tight to her dream...until a terrible virus breaks out, threatening Margaret's dream, her community, and, worst of all, her family. Suddenly it's up to her to make the right choice.