Cedar B. Hartley is not easily accepted by her peers. Her dog Stinky is her best mate. Things start to change when she meets a boy called Kite and finds they have a lot in common - both have single parents, both are loners with colourful inner lives, both like beanies, dogs and acrobats. Together they form a circus troupe which unifies the inner city community.

Through her story Cedar B. Hartley unravels many mysteries and gains understanding of the complications of life - and is uplifted by it.