It's the Hungry Thirties and Bonnie's family has been hit hard by the Depression. Relocating from their farm in Massasaga to Lang, Ontario, is supposed to give them a fresh start. But Lang soon presents its own set of challenges for Bonnie and her family as they learn to adapt to their new surroundings - and get by with less.

For Bonnie, settling into her new school is an uphill battle. Still, in spite of an unsympathetic teacher and a few malicious schoolyard bullies, a series of small victories soon sets Bonnie onto a new path of success. After a devastating scarlet fever epidemic, a head-lice infestation, and a skating incident gone dangerously wrong, Bonnie's classmates soon realize that this spirited newcomer has more than enough gumption and courage to become an invaluable member of their community.

On the home front, Bonnie's family must be resourceful if they are going to put food on the table. Their hopes rest on a precious clutch of chickens carefully hatched in their living room and then sheltered in an outdoor shed. Disaster strikes when the shed door blows open in a storm and their young chickens are trampled by a stampeding sow. At the urging of her new friends, Bonnie enters a regional spelling bee in the hopes that the cash prize will be enough to replace the lost poultry and save her family.