"Who will be the first to discover the secret of flight! Yesterday, Magpie was one of the best thieves in all of France. But an encounter with a boy dangling from the sky will change her life forever. And even though it ends in disaster, Magpie becomes enthralled by the idea of flying over the rooftops of Paris like the dangling boy. His family, the Montgolfiers, are desperate to be the first to discover the secret of flight. And Magpie has some ideas of her own. As the shadow of her thieving past looms over her, she'll realize that flight may be her only escape. In a test of bravery, imagination, science, and friendship -- Magpie, Pierre, and their pet birds are in a race against time. It'll take two children, a chicken, a duck, and a sheep to help them find the answers. But others, too, are determined to discover the Montgolfiers' invention..."--Provided by publisher.