Ben Coffin, an orphan, knows better than anyone that people can leave without saying goodbye. That’s why he spends his time in the library with his favorite science-fiction novels. Until he’s no longer saving a stray, abandoned puppy—thanks to the scruffy little Flipp, Ben meets Halley—yes, like the comet. Halley wears outfits in wild, crazy colors; her laughter can light up even the darkest day, and her father is a real wizard! But soon Ben will have to answer the hardest question of his life: “If friendship is the greatest treasure, why can’t it last forever?”