Valerie Tripp

Nine-year-old Josefina, the youngest of four sisters living in New Mexico in 1824, tries to help run the household after her mother dies.

While her father is away fighting in World War II, Molly finds her life full of change as she eats terrible vegetables from the victory garden and plans revenge on her brother for ruining her Halloween.

Molly's excitement at performing in a big show is exceeded only by the announcement that her father is returning home from the war.

As her tenth birthday approaches, Felicity is excited by her grandfather's visit, but she is also concerned about the growing tensions between the colonists and the British governor in Williamsburg.

Josefina and her sisters distrust learning to read and write, as well as other changes their Tía Dolores is bringing to the household, because they fear they will lose their memories of their mother.

The second Christmas after their mother has died, Josefina and her three sisters find that participating in the traditions of Las Posadas helps keep memories of Mamá alive.

Every morning Molly's mother goes off to work at the Red Cross headquarters, and she doesn't get home until well after dinner. Worst of all is missing Dad. Molly doesn't even know which hospital in England he works in. Molly knows the fastest way for Dad to come home is for the war to end, and she leads the charge to "make do with less" so that soldiers can have more. Getting along and pulling together isn't so easy, though, especially with her...

Christmas in Williamsburg means a dancing party at the Governor's Palace for Felicity, but her mother becomes very ill and cannot finish the special blue gown.