Inga is no ordinary 11-yearold girl and it isn't just her crown of white blond hair that makes her different. Standing with the orphan children she stares ahead with a grim expression, waiting to be chosen for a mother's helper. In 1888, girls are expected to cook, sew, clean and scrub the laundry but Inga has other ideas. She'd rather solve problems than clean; improve machines than cook. But then she's adopted by Mr. Duffy to help his wife, the town pie maker. Lugging her carpet bag she trudges behind her new parents who, to her surprise, live in a blacksmith shop ... filled with tools! Oh the things she could make! If only she didn't have to spend so much time peeling apples ... or does she? Inga engineers her way through Floyd County Iowa as the Swedish girl who can fix things. But does she go too far?