Before he becomes dinner for a stray cat, the orphaned chick Shadow gets rescued by the bird people of the International Crane Foundation in Baraboo, Wisconsin. When the little crane heals, it's time for him to return to the wild. So Shadow comes to live with the Joneses. Every year Sandhill cranes nest and feed in the marsh out back of their dairy farm. Told in the voice of a young daughter in the Jones family, this true story will appeal to children and adults interested in learning more about Sandhill cranes, the work of the International Crane foundation, and farm life in Wisconsin. Shadow is based on a real rescue bird from the International Crane Foundation.