Besides the stray dog Mingus, 11 year old Sophia has no real friends. She is pushed around by the "Beastie boys", a gang of street kids who have built an entire camp in the trees of a junk yard. One day Sophia hears that the yard is ordered to be cut down by Carlow, the mayor. Mingus, who lives in the yard, will be taken away and put to sleep. Sophia is shocked but just then she meets a gypsy, who lends her an old leather ball. For five days only. The ball is alive and may just be able to help her saving the yard. And indeed the ball proves being an amazing character. It makes objects fly and communicates with Sophia through whistling, and successfully attacks Carlow`s bodyguard "Sweetlove". Sophia is accepted in the gang. She realises that the ball might chase the mayor`s men off the yard.