Based on the hugely popular American Girl book series, Oscar nominee Abigail Breslin stars as a resourceful young girl whose bravery, compassion and determination help her save her family's home during the Great Depression.

Aspiring reporter Kit Kittredge can't resist bringing home strays, whether it's Grace, an abandoned basset hound, or Will (Max Thieriot) and Countee (Willow Smith), a pair of young hobos willing to trade work for meals.

Bright, inquisitive and generous, Kit is a natural born leader. But her happy childhood is abruptly interrupted when her father (Chris O'Donnell) loses his car dealership and must leave Cincinnati to look for work.

Kit and her mother Margaret (Julia Ormond) are left to manage on their own, growing vegetables, selling eggs and even taking in an assortment of boarders including an itinerant magician (Stanley Tucci), a vivacious dance instructor on the prowl for a husband (Jane Krakowski) and a zany mobile librarian (Joan Cusack).