Henry's neighbors are scandalized that he ignores them and lets his property get run down, until they drive him away and find themselves missing him.

Disappointed when her bracelet of little hearts breaks, Barbara proves both her ingenuity and her capacity for giving by turning this treasure into valentines for her whole family.

A series of letters and newspaper articles reveals life in California in the 1850s, especially for thirteen-year-old Eldora, who was raised in Massachusetts as an orphan only to meet her influential mother in San Francisco, and Luke, who hopes to find a fortune in gold.

The celebrated children's book writer describes the scenes of her childhood, in New York City and on Long Island, and how she lived as an adult.