When her blind dog slips his collar, twelve-year old Lily meets Salma Santiago, a young Hispanic girl whose migrant family are in Maine for the blueberry-picking season, and, based partly on their mutual love of dogs, the two forge a friendship while painting bee boxes for Lily's grandfather--but as the Blueberry Queen pageant approaches Lily and Selma are confronted with some of the hard truths of prejudice and migrant life.

A group of sato puppies, homeless dogs of various breeds from Puerto Rico, has arrived at the animal shelter, and second grade volunteer Suzannah immediately falls in love with one puppy, Paloma--but it is her job to get the puppy ready for adoption, a separation that could easily break her heart.