On the death of their mother three little girls are taken from their father to become wards of the state. With cardboard suitcases given them by the social worker, they are moved from Catholic Home to orphanage to foster home, waiting for their father to come and claim them. The story moves in time, from the Depression through the 1940 war years, into and beyond the 1960s.

"When a weary stranger arrives one day with nothing but a suitcase, his new neighbors ask nervous questions about who he is and where he comes from before they are challenged to decide between trusting the newcomer or taking the risk of not believing him"--

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"The final line, "What would you put in your suitcase?" invites lively discussion....children curious about what might go inside bags and luggage will get an eyeful." - Kirkus Reviews Horse, Cat, Piggy and the other animals all have important jobs to do. They carry their belongings in suitcases. Which bag belongs to whom? Open the suitcases and take a look inside. An interactive lift-the-flap book for curious readers ages 3 and up.

Life is lived in the little things. Marilyn Beckwith In the early 1970s, after a year of unemployment, Marilyn Beckwith was in desperate need for change in her life. With her characteristic joie de vivre, she started a new life on a new continentand didnt look back. In 1971, she and her husband moved to Africa with their four children, armed with not much more than a penchant for adventure and a sense of humor. They started their African adventures in Kenya, and they tried life in Zaire (now Congo). Marilyn was called to build a home for her family on the local economy, unsupported by any embassy or company. While steadfastly holding on to her values, she faced a steep learning curve in adjusting to the African rhythms of life. She gamely coped with challenges, from the mundane to the miraculous, including bridging food shortages, navigating the fringes of diplomatic life, outsmarting a mischievous chimpanzee, and adapting to new languages: Madame, you speak French like a Zairean. Oh, thank you." Madame, that was not a compliment! Journey with this American mother as she discovers that everyday life can become extraordinarily entertaining when circumstances are unusual.

More than four hundred abandoned suitcases filled with patients' belongings were found when Willard Psychiatric Center closed in 1995 after 125 years of operation. In this fully-illustrated social history, they are skillfully examined and compared to the written record to create a moving-and devastating-group portrait of twentieth-century American psychiatric care.

The stories of the refugees from the war in Bosnia.