Four-year-old Elisa gets her picture taken, starts learning to read, breaks her arm, and experiences other exciting aspects of growing up.

A ten-year-old draws and writes about her daily life in the journal she receives for her birthday.

In 1899, ten-year-old Robbie, son of a preacher in a small Vermont town, gets himself into all kinds of trouble when he decides to give up being Christian in order to make the most of his life before the end of the world.

Although there is no love lost between them, twelve-year-old Wilma is her wilful and peppery grandmother's choice for a companion.

Wile her mother is sick in bed, Abby tries to take care of her younger brother and the house when her father has to go out for a while.