In alternating chapters, two teenagers describe how their feelings about themselves, each other, and their families have changed over the years.

Nine-year-old Elizabeth Ann doesn't want to live with her country cousins. But in helping with chores around the farm and making new friends she discovers happiness, confidence, and independence.

Al principio, a Trisha le encanta la escuela, pero su dificultad para aprender a leer la hace sentir tonta, hasta que, en quinto grado, un nuevo maestro la ayuda a comprender y superar su problema. At first, Trisha loves school, but her difficulty learning to read makes her feel dumb, until, in the fifth grade, a new teacher helps her understand and overcome her problem.

"An outcast teen girl explores the mysteries of friendship, family, faith, and phenomena, including the greatest mystery of all--herself"--

A boy wakes up and discovers that everything he had has disappeared except for his hat, so he sets out to find what is lost and ultimately discovers that the most important thing of all is self.

Winnie celebrates her unique style through her first year with a double-digit age as she has many new experiences, from the high of spending time in New York City with her aunt and big sister, to the low of her two best friends suddenly becoming interested in boys.

When Kit's pageant rival Melody loses her rabbit, Ellie believes she can build a contraption to catch him, but she begins to doubt herself when Melody insists that a pageant is no place for messy engineering experiments.

Demonstrates how to accurately reflect one's inner self through outside fashion choices.

A little girl struggling to find her place within her family is shown how special she is through a set of nesting dolls.