Publisher's Synopsis
ISABEL MARGARET LADUKE (IZZY), is a spunky, tenacious thirteen-year-old living on her family's farm in the Rabbit Foot Region. During every full moon, one of their cows goes missing which threatens their livelihood. Izzy arms herself with her hunting rifle and fixates on a perplexing grove of oak trees behind the barn. Daniel LaDuke, Izzy's Groundling father, afraid of what might be lurking outside, interrupts her agenda and puts an end to the evening. Creeping outside her window, she spies the most repulsive giant (BOONE) with their prized bull in tow. Her insatiable curiosity and deep desire to help her family sends her spiraling alongside the enemy into the middle of Giant territory via a secret siloport behind the barn. Izzy must now learn to trust and depend on her dreaded adversary for survival and a way home. Boone takes Izzy to Reflection Bog which reflects her parents on a misty curtain searching for her and requesting assistance from the Groundling army. Boone sees the disturbing Behemorph Brigade commandeering Izzy's farm and preparing for war. They believe Izzy has been taken, and that the Behemorphs (shape shifting Giants) will be back for more. While waiting for Boone's full transformation into his winter form, Izzy learns how to survive and how to defend herself, although her skill set is seriously flawed. As she grows closer to Boone, she questions what she has been told by her beloved parents and Groundling people in relation to their prejudice and hatred for Giants. Izzy's internal struggle for personal truth and growth is beginning. Izzy, Boone, and Jerry, Boone's pet mammoth, are forced into taking the quickest route home. There is only one siloport that can send Izzy home before a war breaks out. This silo is located up north on the cold, desolate Tundrite Territory, home to the savage and unmerciful Tundrites. Boone is a Temperate giant and changes his physical appearance seasonally. Completely winterized, his plan is to blend in while sneaking Izzy into enemy camp and to the base of siloport. The LaDukes have alerted the Brigade and are under the assumption that the giant hunters will be going after Izzy via the silo on their farm. Colonel Fletcher, the egotistical leader of the Brigade, arrives with the detonation team to dupe the LaDukes. He blows their silo to stop a possible Giant attack, destroying Izzy's way home in the process. Each ascending siloport has a twin, a descending one. He orders his troops to the cold Caribou Region to destroy that one as well, forgoing Izzy's rescue in favor of his reputation and military career. Boone's wintery appearance is disappearing and he is sprouting greenery. He enters the Tundrite camp to scout the siloport and is captured. Fjordik is organizing a war against the Groundlings with a surprise attack once the siloport opens on the new moon. Izzy is left alone with the decision to either save Boone, whom she's grown to respect and love, or return home to warn her groundling people of the attack, ultimately saving their lives. Torn, Izzy heads to the silo. She encounters the battle between Boone and Fjordik. Boone is defeated and dying. Izzy uses her skill and newfound bravery to bring Fjordik to his knees as he readies to finish Boone off. She falls into the silo and is transported home believing that Boone has died. Jerry arrives and spears Fjordik through the heart with his tusk. The LaDukes alert the General and race to the Caribou Region just as the last functioning silo is destroyed. Izzy is found and returns to the farm. She visits the pond behind her home wearing the fur coat that Boone made for her. Boone has slipped gold nuggets in one pocket to replace the cows he stole. The other pocket holds a piece of pyrite. Izzy tosses it into the water. A vision of Boone and Jerry appear, alive and well, and waving.
