Phoebe Stone wechselte von einer erfolgreichen Karriere als bildende Künstlerin zur fesselnden Arbeit für junge Leser. Ihr Hintergrund in der bildenden Kunst, geprägt von einem einzigartigen, farbenfrohen narrativen und metaphorischen Stil, beeinflusste viele regionale Künstler. Stone entdeckte, dass sie ihre Leidenschaft für Bilder und Worte in Bilderbüchern vereinen konnte, oft aufbauend auf ihrer früheren sequenziellen Arbeit. Ihre Prosa wird für ihre poetische Qualität gefeiert und ihre Romane erhielten ebenso Anerkennung wie ihre illustrierten Werke.
Set against the backdrop of World War II, the story follows Felicity Bathburn in Bottlebay, Maine, as she navigates family dynamics with her quirky relatives and her affection for their foster child, Derek. Tension escalates when a man appears, claiming to be Derek's biological father, raising unsettling questions that lead Felicity to doubt his intentions and protect those she cares about.
Set in Paris, a twelve-year-old girl named Petunia begins to emerge from the shadow of her favored half-sister, Ava. As she navigates new friendships and uncovers family secrets, Petunia discovers a surprising talent for dress design inspired by classic French dolls. This newfound confidence creates tension with Ava, who struggles to cope with Petunia's blossoming creativity and independence, leading to a compelling exploration of sibling rivalry and self-discovery.
In a small, Virginia town, sixth-grader Jessie Lou Ferguson has a crush on the hugely popular Conrad Parker Smith, and when he suddenly develops a medical problem and the teacher asks Jessie Lou to help him, they become friends, to her surprise.