Falsely accused of theft and murder, an orphaned peasant boy in fourteenth-century England flees his village and meets a larger-than-life juggler who holds a dangerous secret.
As the only passenger, and the only female, on a transatlantic voyage in 1832, thirteen-year-old Charlotte finds herself caught between a murderous captain and a mutinous crew.
In 1776, after witnessing the execution of Nathan Hale in New York City by the British army, young Sophia resolves to do all she can to help the American cause, including becoming a spy.
In an almost foolproof scheme, a man parachutes from an airplane with a large amount of money, only to be seen by a boy who has a reputation for seeing things in the clouds.
Maggie, almost 13, is visiting her father, his young wife, and their new baby during her summer vacation. At the lake near their rented cottage, Maggie observes a great blue heron. She identifies with the solitary bird, then makes the startling discovery that someone is trying to kill it. While grappling with this mystery, she must also deal with strange new conflicts in her family.
A ninth-grader's suspension for humming "The Star-Spangled Banner" during homeroom becomes a national news story, and leads to him and his teacher both leaving the school.
