Estranged husband and wife Jesse Gordon, a Christian songwriter, and Elena Breen, a beautiful singer, are reunited after Elena damages her voice and tries to commit suicide and Jesse rebuilds her faith in their marriage and in God.

Burgos, Spain, Christmas Eve 1257. Princess Kristina Håkonsdatter of Norway arrives in the city en route to Valladolid in order to marry Alfonso X the Wise, since Queen Violante had failed to give birth to a male heir to the Castilian throne. Eight centuries later, Carlos Lafuente, a devoted paleographer from Montanilla University, is tasked with preparing a report on the validity of some manuscripts discovered near Silos Monastery. What he couldn't anticipate was to what degree this ordinary task would alter the course of his life. With the assistance of Arthur Trevelyan, a postgraduate student, and Elena Serna, a colleague in the same paleo-graphic department, the trio will investigate the cryptic clues discovered there, relying primarily on their instincts. Present and past will intertwine like invisible knots that Arthur prefers to qualify as "significant coincidences"—the invisible threads that move the world bringing the small group of scholars to a surprising conclusion in a gripping and moving story full of intrigue, humour, love and adventure. A story that reads as a tale under the rain.

Elena lives near a small town in western Guatemala. She lives there with her mother, her younger brother, Luis, and her baby sister, Ana. Her father is far away, working on a plantation. Elena struggles to keep up in school. Her teacher says she needs to practice her reading, but it's hard to find time to read. She must help her mother with the cooking and housework, as well as the hard work of planting and weeding their garden. As the big sister Elena is also in charge of watching over Luis to keep him out of mischief. It isn't always easy and she gets impatient with her little brother. But at the end of the day, when Elena shares a book with Luis, carefully sounding out the words, she comes to better understand and appreciate her role in the family.

When Elena's family moves from Puerto Rico to Indiana, she takes pictures to remember her favorite scenes on the island, and when she gets to Indiana, her new classmates provide their pictures to show her what is noteworthy about the state.

"One night, a tiger cub named Elena is terrified when she wakes up in her cave and seeks the comfort of her mother. Mama knows exactly what to do to make Elena feel better! Elena and Mama take a walk and find some of the beautiful things that the night offers: owls, stars, and so much more."--Provided by the publisher