Sometime around 1815, an enslaved young man named Dave was brought to Edgefield, South Carolina, the center of a pottery-producing area known for the alkaline glazes used on the stoneware. Dave was taught how to turn pots and jars on a pottery wheel by one of his first owners. As Dave's talent flourished, he created pieces of great beauty and often massive size. He also somehow learned to read and write, in spite of South Carolina's strongly-held...

"Follows perceptive, astute Anna as she strives to grow a perfect garden -- only to realize that the garden she grows with her new friend is more than good enough, weeds and all"--

Twelve-year-old Anna's friend Andee spearheads a campaign to bring Fan from China to Cincinnati on a year-long cultural exchange, but before Fan even arrives Anna's concerned that Andee and Fan are too different to get along.

Fifth-grader Anna is concerned that her baby sister Kaylee, adopted from China three months ago, is not thriving so she and her best friends, Laura and Camille, create a science project that may save the day