Kirby Larson

Orphaned at age 16, Hattie Brooks longs for a place where folks will welcome her and become her family. After inheriting her uncle's 320 acre homesteading claim in Montana, Hattie travels from Iowa to make a home for herself and encounters some problems, being unprepared for life on the prairie in the brutal winter of 1918.

Bobbi (the dog) and Bob Cat are the best of friends. When their hometown of New Orleans was struck by Hurricane Katrina, many lost everything. Bobbi and Bob Cat only survived by staying together. This is the story of their remarkable friendship.

In 1944 Hobie Hanson's father is flying B-24s in Europe, so Hobie decides to donate his beloved German shepherd, Duke, to Dogs for Defense in the hope that it will help end the war sooner--but when he learns that Duke is being trained for combat he is shocked, frightened and determined to get his dog back.

In 1940s New Orleans, Fish Elliot is a polio-survivor with a knack for inventing and building things, and his African American neighbor Olympia is a girl with a talent for messing things up, but they are united in an effort to save a starving stray dog they call Liberty--and when Liberty is caged by a nasty farmer, they find an unlikely ally in a German prisoner of war, Erich, who is not much older than the two children.

In 1910, Audacity Jones is an eleven-year-old orphan living a monotonous life at Miss Maisie's School for Wayward Girls, and wondering why nothing exciting ever happens--but when the mysterious Commodore Crutchfield whisks her away to Washington D.C., she finds herself involved in a sinister and dangerous plot against the president of the United States.

"Nine-year-old Nanea Mitchell may be the youngest in her family, but she still wants to "dip her paddle in" and be useful. She knows she's grown-up enough to help in her grandparents' market. But before she can prove that she's ready for more responsibility, the unthinkable happens: Japan attacks Pearl Harbor, the naval base where her father works, and America is at war! With friends and family missing, and rumors of more attacks to come, Nanea worries...

Throughout the twentieth century, Miss Kanagawa, one of fifty-eight dolls made to serve as ambassadors from Japan to the United States, travels the country learning to love while changing the lives of those who need her.

"In this story, a little girl and her Bitty Baby doll are getting ready for a ballet recital. To calm her pre-performance jitters, the little girl tells Bitty Baby a story about a bunny who overcomes stage fright to win a hopping contest."--Provided by publisher.

"Nanea Mitchell had hoped that going back to school would make life seem normal again. But everything has changed since the war started, including Miss Smith's wonderful classroom. Nanea' dear friend Donna is gone, and now there's a new girl who seems to be getting all of Miss Smith's attention. There are also worries at home as Nanea' big brother talks about joining the Army. Nanea can't bear the thought of him leaving. In the swirl of changes, Nanea...

"Shermy is excited to learn the new kid in school is none other than his pal Shake, but what if the other kids like Shake better?"--Provided by publisher.