Petesch is well-known for her story writing. In this, her fifth collection, she spans time and geography, moving from the America's Great Depression to contemporary Spain and Mexico. Fans of Petesch will find that her voice remains as gritty as ever, and her vision as compassionate.

In Russia, Molly and her mother didn't celebrate birthdays the way they do in America. When Molly's invited to a birthday party, she's excited to be able to taste a pink and white cake. Then something happens at Emma's party that Molly won't ever forget. She knows it's the week of Passover and she knows she shouldn't eat the cake. What should Molly do?

Fourth-grader Emily is forced to think about her Jewish heritage when the new boy, an Orthodox Jew, refuses to participate in the school Christmas celebrations.

Shock number one for Dinah is that she is actually dating Geoff, star quarterback and all-around great guy. Shock number two is that her usually supportive family objects and that Geoff does not understand why. Why must difficult choices always come with wanting to have fun?