Approaching the threshold age of 13, Ally Summers is confident in her world. Indeed, her given name is Alpha, suggesting command, control, and empowerment. Ally is mature for her age, articulate, and responsible, and she embraces the belief that she is unique, self-sufficient, and in charge of her life. She understands what she loves—astronomy; she is grounded by the support of her family; she appreciates the stability of her daily routine. Growing up at Moon Shadow, she has never been exposed to the complicated and often conflicting messages of contemporary pop culture nor does she understand the implications of social media.

Homeschooling for Ally is less an educational protocol and more a lifestyle. She has never measured herself against the opinions and influences of kids her own age. Friends are at best a theory—Ryan, who visits the camp each summer, is the closest thing she has to a friend. She is, however, content. She knows who she is, and that confidence makes her at once admirable and vulnerable. When her parents break the news that she is moving, Ally, in a single, terrifying moment of revelation, sees that there is so much more to the world than what she knows.