In 1854 in Eastern Maryland twelve-year-old Ann is a slave, grateful that her family is still all together; but when their master, in need of money, decides to sell Ann and her younger brother, their parents decide to take the dangerous step of running away north to freedom--a journey filled with danger, especially since they are not sure how to find the first station on the Underground Railroad.

In 1851 twelve-year-old Sarah is a free Black, happy living with her parents, grandparents, and brother on their own farm in Iowa; but her father has been bitten by the gold bug and wants to take the trail west to California, and after some argument it is decided that the the grandparents will stay on the farm, but the rest of the family will go; the journey will be difficult and dangerous, but if they survive extreme weather, difficult terrain, illness,...

Azaleah's older sister Nia is going to be the star of the school musical but things keep going wrong at the rehearsals (missing batteries, disappearing props, microphones that suddenly do not work); Mr. Guidi, the director, blames the ghost of Thespis, but Azaleah suspects that somebody is actually sabotaging the play--and she is determined to use her detective skills to uncover the culprit, and set things right so the play will be a complete success...

Matthew, a young African American with asthma who dreams of becoming an Olympic runner like his hero, Jesse Owens, accompanies his journalist father to the 1936 Olympics in Germany.

Nina, the littlest elf in Santa's workshop, doesn't finish the teddy bear she's making in time for it to get loaded onto Santa's sleigh, but she works far into the night to finish it. While Santa is out delivering presents, a baby is born. Santa comes back for Nina's now-finished bear--and guess who he takes along to deliver it?