Annie Shearer lives in the town of Upson Downs.

She is eleven years old and short for her age. She has brown hair and brown eyes. She lives on a sheep farm with her parents, Bryan and Susie, her brother Max and her grandma Dolly.

People in Upson Downs think Annie is a bit different.

They think it's odd that they have never seen her laugh, even though she is often quite happy. They think it's strange that they've never seen her cry, even though she is sometimes quite sad. They think it's weird that she wears an old leather tool belt wherever she goes, even though Annie finds it useful having so many pockets to store items that can be used to fix things. They worry that she must be lonely because she spends so much time by herself. But Annie quite enjoys her own company - and besides, she has a very special friend.

He is a dog. And his name is Runt.

Annie knows she is a bit different, but she doesn't think she is odd or strange or weird. The truth is, everybody is unique. No two people are the same. Even identical twins can have different interests. And it makes the world a more interesting place. Annie enjoys reading about exotic creatures with hidden talents. For example, in the darkest depths of the ocean, there's a fish with a glowing torch poking out of its head. It's called an anglerfish. In the forests of Australia, there's a bird that can mimic perfectly any sound that it hears. It's called a lyrebird. And in Africa, there's a frog that lives in a bubble of its own snot. It's called an African bullfrog. And in Upson Downs, there is Runt.

Runt can't mimic any sounds, he doesn't have a torch sprouting from his head, and he doesn't live in a bubble of snot, but his hidden talents are extraordinary.