Sixth-grader Emmy tries to find her place in a new school and to figure out how she can create her own kind of music using a computer.

Fifteen-year-old Soli, nicknamed Shifty, keeps getting into trouble without trying, but as he strives to trust and be trusted, he grows in appreciation of his foster family and works toward putting his past behind him.

It's 1976 and the entire country is celebrating America's 200th birthday. Julie joins her cousins on a pioneer-style wagon train in honor of the Bicentennial. The journey is filled with adventures, challenges, and self-discovery as Julie faces her fears to make an important contribution to her country's birthday. The "Looking Back" section provides additional information about Bicentennial celebrations in the United States.--From publisher's description....

Julie is in school detention for passing a note to Joy, a deaf student who has trouble understanding what their teacher is saying. Indignant, Julie decides to run for student body president so she can make changes to the detention system. But the other students are put off by Joy, her choice for vice president, and Julie worries that she'll have little chance of winning if she partners with someone who seems so different. With persistence and creative...

After her parents divorce, fun-loving San Francisco girl Julie moves away from her best friend Ivy to start over again in a new house and school. But before long, she learns to create a few changes of her own--from saving endangered eagles to celebrating the U.S. Bicentennial.