The weekend she turns thirteen, aspiring clothing designer Teresa "Reesie" Boone is separated from her family by Hurricane Katrina but, during the horrific storm and its aftermath, begins to find strength in herself.

Cécile Rey plans to spend her summer working with her friend Marie-Grace Gardner at a nearby orphanage and enjoying time with her brother who recently returned from France, but, after yellow fever begins to spread in New Orleans, she worries she will not have the strength to help her family when they need her most.

Encouraged by her friend Marie-Grace, Cecile finds a way to help her beloved city, New Orleans, in the aftermath of the 1853 yellow fever epidemic.

Melody Ellison just turned ten, and she's dreaming of new ways to make her community a better place! When her pastor issues a New Year's challenge, she decides to fix up a neighborhood playground and plant a garden. But when her friends put her in charge, Melody finds out just how hard it can be to lead. From opportunities of a lifetime in Motown, to learning what it means to not give up in the face of setbacks and adversity, Melody discovers that...

Delighted with her shiny new red shoes, a little girl dances through town to show them off to everyone she knows.

With the help of her white friend Marie-Grace, Cécile, a well-to-do black girl in 1853 New Orleans, plans a secret adventure at a Mardi Gras costume ball.