Legend of the Ghost Moose by Dana Wayne Haley

Amelia Young, a 9-year-old runaway, encounters an elderly woman named Mary, a former teacher living alone in the woods of Maine. Little did the young girl know that this encounter would be life-changing and impact her in ways she could not imagine, not the least of which is an encounter with a baby moose that entangles her in an urban legend: the Ghost Moose of Maine. While living with Mary, Amelia learns amazing things and experiences both exhilarating and frightening adventures that force her to quickly mature and become a self-sufficient young woman. Amelia's maturity would be of great help when she eventually learns disturbing facts about her family that would impact her young life and result in her meeting someone very special: a girl named Amanda. The girls instantly bond and develop a unique relationship, to the point where they feel as if they have finally found peace and happiness in their own version of Paradise, where they experience challenging adventures that bring them even closer together. However, they are destined to have an earth-shattering experience which proves that life isn't always the way it seems, leaving them to wonder if their lives would ever be normal, or if they'd struggle to find real happiness.