Priscilla is only four years old when her mother is sold to another master. All Priscilla has to remember her mother by are the hollyhocks she planted by the cow pond. At age ten, Priscilla is sold to a Cherokee family and continues her life as a slave. She keeps hope for a better life alive by planting hollyhocks wherever she goes. At last, her forced march along the Trail of Tears brings a chance encounter that leads to her freedom. Includes an author's note with more details about this fascinating true story as well as instructions for making hollyhock dolls.

When their father gets sick and cannot take them out trick or treating on their first Halloween in their new country, Anya and her sisters and brother are surprised when their shy mother agrees to accompany them.

Robin "Birdy" Perry, a new army recruit from Harlem, isn't quite sure why he joined the army, but he's sure where he's headed: Iraq. Birdy and the others in the Civilian Affairs Battalion are supposed to help secure and stabilize the country and successfully interact with the Iraqi people. Officially, the code name for their maneuvers is Operation Iraqi Freedom. But the young men and women in the CA unit have a simpler name for it:WAR

"A wounded seal pup propels 13-year-old Amy Henderson into an unlikely alliance with an unusual older woman and a mysterious boy in a small Maine fishing village."--Amazon.com.

"Has the heart of Winnie-the-Pooh and the charm of Frog and Toad. Can I move in next door?" —Grace Lin, Newbery Honor author A new neighbor has moved to Sprout Street in this early reader series perfect for fans of Clementine, Just Grace, and Ivy & Bean. Mili has just moved into the empty apartment on Sprout Street all the way from Hawaii—and her new neighbors can't wait to meet her! Violet is happy there's someone in the building who shares her love of art. Emma is excited to have a new breakfast buddy. Henry is eager to show off his model ships. Mili is quick to lend a hand when she finds Wilbur in a pickle, and Fernando always welcomes another voice at the weekly Sprout Street meetings. Of course, sometimes a new friend can take some getting used to, but with neighbors like these, it's not long before Mili is part of the Sprout Street family, too. "Illustrated chapters are at just the right level for new readers looking for a little bit of a challenge. Good friends and familiar situations will make readers feel at home." —Kirkus Reviews "Offers insights into friendship, independence, and compromise." —Booklist

The Hollyhocks Trail tells the poignant story of two children uprooted during the removal of Cherokees from their ancestral homelands in the Southeast. Despite their efforts to assimilate white culture -- adopting a constitution based on that of the United States, learning English while inventing their own syllabary, and developing an agriculture-based economy -- in the end all that mattered was the governments determination to confiscate Cherokee lands. Josh and Nelley grew up together in what now is northern Georgia, sharing a bond solidified by their love of nature and their common foe of racial intolerance. Separated during the removal of 1838, the book traces their tragic experiences on the Trail of Tears and their disjoined lives up to the end of the Civil War. Embittered by the white mans greed and betrayals among the Cherokee, and ultimately disowned by his family, Josh seeks out the only friend he may have left -- a friend he has not seen in 27 years. In doing so, he discovers she is more than just a friend. Based on the true story of a part-Indian girl born into slavery, Stapleton weaves a tale of human drama against the backdrop of historical events many Americans would like to forget. You will gain historical insights in reading The Hollyhocks Trail. You will be saddened and indignant at mans capacity for evil. But you will also be moved by a gripping story of redemption and reconciliation.