Phoebe Stone è passata da una carriera di successo come pittrice di belle arti a un lavoro avvincente per giovani lettori. Il suo background nelle arti visive, caratterizzato da uno stile narrativo e metaforico unico e dai colori vivaci, ha influenzato molti artisti della regione. Stone ha scoperto di poter unire la sua passione per immagini e parole nei libri illustrati, spesso basandosi sul suo precedente lavoro in sequenza. La sua prosa è celebrata per la sua qualità poetica, ottenendo elogi per i suoi romanzi e riconoscimenti per le sue opere illustrate.
Set against the backdrop of World War II, the story follows Felicity Bathburn in Bottlebay, Maine, as she navigates family dynamics with her quirky relatives and her affection for their foster child, Derek. Tension escalates when a man appears, claiming to be Derek's biological father, raising unsettling questions that lead Felicity to doubt his intentions and protect those she cares about.
Set in Paris, a twelve-year-old girl named Petunia begins to emerge from the shadow of her favored half-sister, Ava. As she navigates new friendships and uncovers family secrets, Petunia discovers a surprising talent for dress design inspired by classic French dolls. This newfound confidence creates tension with Ava, who struggles to cope with Petunia's blossoming creativity and independence, leading to a compelling exploration of sibling rivalry and self-discovery.
In a small, Virginia town, sixth-grader Jessie Lou Ferguson has a crush on the hugely popular Conrad Parker Smith, and when he suddenly develops a medical problem and the teacher asks Jessie Lou to help him, they become friends, to her surprise.