Miranda Browne

Miranda Browne is the thirteen-year-old protagonist of the novel. She grows up in New York City with her successful working parents—Helen, a doctor, and Philip, a history professor. They all live in a small apartment, and Miranda spends a lot of time alone. At school, her best friend is Nicole. They love going to dances and talking about boys. When Miranda learns that she and her family are moving out of the city to a small town in Massachusetts, she is excited to get away from the city and into a different style of life. She plans to meet all her neighbors and spend the summer biking around before eighth grade starts in the fall.

However, when Miranda arrives at her new house in Garnet, she discovers a magical dollhouse that shows her visions of her house throughout time. Miranda becomes single-mindedly obsessed with the dollhouse...