Johanna Hurwitz

Seven-year-old Russell and his three-year-old sister Elisa have adventures with friends and family in their apartment building.

Relates the adventures of an inquisitive little girl who lives in a large apartment building in New York with her parents and little brother Teddy.

In her letters to a Vermont friend, eighth grader Dossi, a Russian, Jewish immigrant living in the Lower East Side of New York City in 1910, shares her thoughts about her new brother-in-law, the diphtheria epidemic, and the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire.

Because Nora and her brother live in an apartment, personal privacy, making friends, and finding places to play are sometimes a problem.

Four-year-old Elisa gets her picture taken, starts learning to read, breaks her arm, and experiences other exciting aspects of growing up.

A yard sale, ice skating, class pictures, and a surprise party are a few of the things that make fourth grade fun for Julio and his friends, but they must get serious about studying as the statewide end-of-year test approaches.

The year Elisa enters the first grade is filled with exciting times at school and special celebrations at home.