Number one on David's list of The Very Worst Things is NOTHING. To him, it means not belonging anywhere. It means not owning a single toy. Living in foster homes for the last six years, David now has trouble making friends and keeping up in school. More than anything in the world, he just wants something to call his own.

He thinks he's found that something when he hatches an owl named King Arthur with the help of his "girl genius" friend, Mab. But when it looks like King Arthur must be set free, David learns a powerful lesson. The real "good stuff " in life isn't something he can own.

Like the friends in The Very Worst Thing, Torey Hayden once hatched and raised a short-eared owl. This is her first novel for young readers, though she has also written best-selling adult books. An educational psychologist and special education teacher, Torey Hayden lives on a farm in Wales with her family.