Patricia Reilly Giff

Sarah writes to her pen pal in South America about her attempts to plan a surprise birthday party and her dislike of a new girl at school.

Emily Arrow has two problems: trying to work in her invention group with bossy Linda Lorca in charge and thinking of a wedding present for Ms. Vincent, the student teacher.

Abandoned as a baby, 12-year-old Hollis Woods has been in more foster homes than she cares to remember. Her dedicated social worker finally places her with Josie, a retired art teacher whose home is filled with her whimsical creations.

A troublesome twelve-year-old orphan, staying with an elderly artist who needs her, remembers the only other time she was happy in a foster home, with a family that truly seemed to care about her.