"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." With these words, the Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu might as well have been thinking on the adventures Jackie Tempo, who is on an unusual quest to find her parents.
Jackie Tempo is a lonely teen who lives in a remote New England town. She mourns her parents who died in a car crash when she was young. In the mansion she shares with her eccentric Aunt Isobel, Jackie discovers a mysterious text, which transports her back in time to Ming China. Jackie is stunned to find herself on a Portuguese caravel - and the ship's doctor is her father, David! The year is 1521. Thus begins Jackie's journey through time and space, at turns an exciting and harrowing adventure.
Along the way, Jackie encounters a Buddhist monk, a strong-willed concubine, and a runaway girl who has been falsely accused of stealing the Emperor's seal. Together, she and Jackie forge a bond in their unusual quest to find their way home. However, they quickly discover that a darker force is at work here. It is up to Jackie and her allies to prevent a serious disruption in the time-space continuum.
