But soon she realizes that she has taken on more than she can handle. Then Julie discovers that an old friend is hiding secrets from her. Could he be responsible for the strange things happening at Ivy's house? Or is someone--or something--else to blame? An illustrated "Looking Back" section describes the wild parrots of Telegraph Hill, plus the increase in vegetarianism in the 1970s.

    Even better, her aunt has gotten a role in the opera! As Marie-Grace and her friend, Cécile, help out during rehearsals, they're thrilled to meet real opera stars and get a peek into theater life. But thrills turn to chills as the girls make disturbing discoveries behind the scenes! An illustrated "Looking Back" essay describes New Orleans' place as a leading cultural center for opera and theater in 1800s America.

    While playing in the waves, they find a barnacle-encrusted ring buried in the sand. They imagine that it's lost treasure from a sunken ship. But why do other people seem desperate to get the ring?

    Everyone is delighted with the stunning ruby ring, but as soon as the ring appears at the rancho, things start going wrong. What is going on? With all her heart, Josefina is determined to find out.

    Then a valuable trumpet goes missing, and Kit herself is accused of theft. Can Kit prove her innocence and put a stop to the mayhem before the real thief sends the band packing? Includes an "Inside Kit's World" essay about the popularity of jazz and swing music during the Depression.

    Then, a long lost friend of Papa's shows up in town. Papa is delighted to give him a job at Abbott's Shipyard, but soon, strange things start going wrong. Caroline is sure a spy is making trouble at the yard--but is it one of Abbott's trusted workers, whom she has known all her life, or could it be Papa's dear friend? An illustrated "Looking Back" section discusses the role of spies in the War of 1812.

    That means a three-day stagecoach trip with her friend Rhonda! The other travelers, including a charming magician and a beautiful young woman with a sad past, fascinate the girls. But when Caroline's precious package goes missing, she realizes the culprit must be a fellow passenger. Will she unmask the thief in time, or will her promise to Papa be impossible to keep?

    Now Kaya's blind sister, Speaking Rain, has dreamed of a stallion like none she's ever met. Then the two girls come upon a silver stallion in the woods. Could he be a Ghost Wind Stallion of legend?

    Grace becomes a local celebrity, and all the attention is a lot of fun for Kit--until the night Grace mysteriously vanishes. But who would take Kit's dog, and why? At the end of the story, the Looking Back section provides interesting facts about pets during the Great Depression.

    Knowing that the necklace was the last gift Tante Tay's husband gave her before he died, C�cile is desperate to find it. As she tracks down the people in the crowd who were near her when she fell, her search takes her into many corners of New Orleans, from a society tea party to the crowded French Market, even the dangerous cypress swamps...and deep into secrets she never imagined! An illustrated �Looking Back� essay provides facts about the 1850s.

    But what other things might you experience in 1904? Join Samantha on exciting adventures where the two of you can dress up for a fancy dinner or take a trip to her summer home in the mountains. Your journey back in time can take whatever twists and turns you choose, as you select from a variety of exciting options in this multiple-ending story.

    But will she be able to raise enough money to build a tower for their flight? Then, on a journey to commemorate the birth of a nation, Julie finds a way to include a very significant signature on the rededication scroll. And when Julie realizes she can make a positive change in punishments at school, she runs for student body president. Will Julie get the votes she needs?

    When Aunt Eleanor, now a WASP pilot, stops for a visit while ferrying a warplane from one airbase to another, a security check uncovers anti-American propaganda stashed aboard her plane. The FBI interrogates Eleanor but quickly zeroes in on another suspect--Anna's 17-year-old brother Max, who works at the local airfield. Though Anna knows her brother is loyal to America, she fears he'll be sent away to an interment camp as an enemy alien, as other German-American friends have been. Molly and Anna decide that the only way to clear Max is to find the person who is smuggling propaganda. With lots of daring and a little luck, the girls manage to finger the real culprit but they discover that that may not be enough to save Max. In a poignant ending, Molly realizes that wartime, even on the home front, changes friends and family forever."

    Londonia, journeying across the Atlantic Ocean to England. This beautiful interactive journal-style book features historical photographs and eight pull-out souvenirs from her trip, including a map of the ship, a telegram, and a mask from the Captain's Ball. Girls can use the Morse Code card to decode secret messages from Samantha!

    But before they can leave, the most terrible thing Addy can imagine happens--her Poppa and her brother, Sam, are sold! Addy and her Momma decide they must head out on their own. Although the road to freedom is difficult, Addy�s new life brings new friends, school, and even the opportunity to help others. But when will her family be reunited?