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Catherine: The Great Journey

Scholastic, Royal Diary series. This is the story of a minor German princess who becomes the ruler of all Russia at age 15 through an arranged marriage with her cousin. She learned the Russian language, converted to the Russian Orthodox church and had to put up with a betrothed who played with toy soldiers.

Cleopatra VII, Daughter of the Nile

Scholastic, Royal Diary series. The story of the young girl who became the famous queen of ancient Egypt and fought the mighty Roman empire. As a teenager, when this book takes place, she survived a bitter rivalry with her older sister as the Egyptian dynasty fell under the control of Rome.

Eleanor, Crown Jewel of Aquitaine

Scholastic, Royal Diary series. Eleanor was the richest young girl in Europe when she inherited Aquitaine in southern France after her father died suddenly while on a holy pilgrammage. This story traces her life from age 12 until her marriage to the king of France at age 15. Eleanor also later became queen of England.

Prairie River: Hope Springs Eternal

Scholastic, the Prairie River series. The story of Nessa concludes as Albert arrives in Prairie River but it is not what she imagined it would be. Nessa must reconcile the changes between them if she has any hope that their old friendship will bloom into something new.

Prairie River: Winter Tidings

Scholastic, the Prairie River series. The story of Nessa continues as the Rev. McDuff arrives unexpectantly. She had told only Ivy and Mrs.Lockett her secret -- now the whole town will find out.

Prairie River: A Grateful Harvest

Scholastic, the Prairie River series. The story of Nessa continues as she settles in a new town but is still worried her past life will come back to haunt her.

Prairie River: A Journey of Faith

Scholastic, the Prairie River series. My first book in a new series about a young orphan girl with a strong faith who must flee a pre-arranged marriage and start a new life.

Across the Wide and Lonesome Prairie: The Oregon Trail Diary of Hattie Campbell

The Winter of Red Snow: The Revolutionary War Diary of Abigail Jane Stewart

Scholastic, the Dear America series. The winter at Valley Forge, Pa. was both a low point and turning point for George Washington's army in the Revolutionary War. This book, in diary form, tells the story of the hardships endured. Also an HBO movie.

Seeds of Hope: The Gold Rush Diary of Susanna Fairchild.

Scholastic, the Dear America series. The California gold rush was one of the most romantic episodes in our nation's history as thousands of people raced to California hoping to make a fortune. It was a rough and tumble life, especially for young Susanna, who accompanies her father to a mining camp.

When Freedom Comes: Hope's Revolutionary War Diary

Scholastic, the My America series. This is the final book about Hope, a young girl whose family is caught in the middle of The Revolutionary War.The British Army has fled Philadelphia but danger still lurks and Hope's father and brother are still missing.

The Great Railroad Race: The Diary of Libby West

Scholastic, the Dear America series. The great railroad race involved railroad companies building a trancontinental railroad to link the midwest with the west coast. Libby's diary traces the effort, culminating in the meeting of the east and west lines at Promontory, Utah in 1869.

We Are Patriots: Hope's Revolutionary War Diary

Scholastic, the My America series. The My America series is for younger readers, ages 7-10, patterned after the Dear America series. This book is the second of three I've written.

Five Smooth Stones: Hope's Revolutionary War Diary

Scholastic, the My America series. My first book in the series. In it, Hope, age 9, and her family live in Philadelphia during the Revolutionary War. Her father and brother are caught up in the war while Hope and her mother worry that the British army will soon capture Philadelphia. My third book about Hope, When Freedom Rings, was published in 2004.

Jenny of the Tetons

Harcourt, Brace. My first book. I often wondered who or what Jenny Lake in the Grand Tetons was named after. When I found out, and learned about her incredible life, I decided to write the book. It was honored with the best new children's fiction book by the Society of Children's Book Writers in 1991.

The Legend of Jimmy Spoon

Harcourt, Brace. Jimmy Spoon was my second book. It's based on a true story about a boy who was raised by Indians.

Earthquake at Dawn

Harcourt, Brace. The earthquake that shook San Francisco in 1906 is the subject of this book. It is based on the true story of Edith Irvine, a photographer, who became trapped in the city at the time of the tragedy. The book was honored as the best children's book about California by the California Commonwealth Club in 1993..

Jimmy Spoon and the Pony Express

Harcourt, Brace. I was always fascinated by the Pony Express. This is a story about the brief, but exciting, time for mail carriers who rode for the Pony Express, a sequel to my first Jimmy Spoon book.

The Stowaway: A Tale of California Pirates

Scholastic. Not everyone knows that pirates roamed the coast of California, not just the Caribbean. One of the of these notorius pirates was Hippolyte. He plundered ships and villages up and down the coast. Parents magazine named it one of the best children's books for 1995.

Orphan Runaways

Scholastic. I had the opportunity to visit the ghost town of Bodie, California. The buildings are very well preserved and I could imagine what the mining town must have been like during its wild heyday of the 1880s. This book is the result.