The characters' lives are linked to each other by acts of generosity or cruelty. A daughter in early 20th century Chicago; a hobo during the Great Depression; an office girl in 1950s Manhattan; the young man reveling in 1960s San Francisco, then later tends to dying friends as the AIDS pandemic hits; as the new century opens, a man who has lost his way finds a measure of peace in a photograph he discovers in an old box-an image of pure and simple...

Brother and Sister Bear are excited about the coming of Christmas, when they will perform in a pageant and receive presents, but they also learn an important lesson about giving to others.

"Ever since Lulu was a little baby, she has had Jupiter--her lovely, cuddly, most-favorite-ever teddy bear. But with each new birthday, she gets new toys. And with every passing Christmas, more new toys. Very soon, Lulu can barely fit in her own bed, and poor Jupiter feels very left out. Lulu simply has too many toys! So she decides to throw a very special party--a party for all her toys and all her friends!"--Dust jacket flap.

"This is a Christmas novella about a Christmas quilt"-- "Christmas should be celebrated with family, but for Vera Swanson, that's not an option this year. Widowed and recently relocated, she is lonely in her condo-for-one--until little Fiona Albright knocks on her door needing help. With her mother seriously ill and her father out of town Fiona enlists Vera's aid, and when she finds out her new neighbor is a quilter, she has special request--a Christmas...

Trollbella, a young queen, throws herself the most wonderful birthday party imaginable, but does not begin to enjoy it until she hears a laugh coming from the Ferris wheel.

Five women from different walks of life have become close friends through their book club--enjoying one another's company even more than they enjoy the books. So when the leader of the book club unexpectedly passes away on the cusp of the Christmas season, the four remaining friends are stunned. They relied on Abby for inspiration and motivation. She was the glue that held them together, and they're sure that without her the group can't continue....