Sofia, a twelve-year-old orphan, is sent to live with her aunt in sixteenth-century Florence. She quickly learns that secrets are hidden around every corner and that not everyone is to be trusted. When she discovers a plot to overthrow the city's ruler, she is torn between her duty to her family and her desire to do what is right. With the help of her new friends, Sofia sets out to stop the conspirators before it's too late.
Shannon's family moves to a remote cabin in the woods, and she starts leaving food out in hopes of attracting a wolf. One night, she sees a wolf up close, but quickly learns that they are not to be trifled with.
After the death of her husband, Mary takes a job as a maid for a wealthy family in Boston. There, she meets and falls in love with John, the family's son. However , when John's father discovers their affair, he forces Mary to leave the family's employ. Heartbroken, Mary returns to her humble home. When John suddenly appears at her door one day , she is torn between her feelings of love and anger. John begs for her forgiveness, and they soon rekindle their romance. However, John's father is not about to let them be together . He will stop at nothing to keep them apart, even if it means destroying Mary's life.
The young girl in the story, Casey, loves baseball and is the star pitcher on her school team. When she gets the chance to play in a big game, she does her best and helps her team win.
Lillian falls in love with a handsome ghost named James and helps the ghosts of her town move on to the other side.
Ming, an 11-year-old girl, is forced to leave her home in China to work in a laundry in San Francisco during the late 1800s. Life is hard, but she befriends some of the other girls who work at the laundry and together they find ways to have fun and make the most of their difficult situation. Ming also starts to learn more about America and its customs. Slowly but surely, she starts to feel at home in her new country.
Nine-year-old Shannon is on a mission to uncover her mother's big secret. With the help of her best friend, she sets out to solve the mystery of her mother's past . Along the way, Shannon discovers some surprising things about herself and her family.
Linda is a young woman who can travel through time. She uses her power to fix things that have gone wrong in her life, but soon discovers that changing the past can have unforeseen consequences in the present.