Book 1 in The Crispin Series

In the small, 14th-century English village where he has lived his entire life, a boy has grown up with no name of his own. To his neighbors and to the greed, evil steward who oversees the lands for a distant lord, he has always been known only as "Asta's son."

But when his mother dies, the boy learns from the village priest that long ago he was baptized as Crispin, a name far too fine and noble for someone like him. The priest gives Crispin a lead cross inscribed with a secret he can neither read nor understand - a secret that soon has him fleeing for his life.

In the Dimwood region, a large family of mice inhabit an abandoned farmhouse called Gray House. Poppy, a young deer mouse, dances with her boyfriend Ragweed, a golden mouse, on Bannock Hill. However, Mr. Ocax, a great horned owl who acts as a tyrannical ruler over the family, attacks them and kills Ragweed. When Poppy returns to Gray House, she learns that the family must relocate to New House, where the food is more abundant. However, Ocax refuses to give the family permission to move to the area, citing Poppy and Ragweed's refusal to ask his permission to go to Bannock Hill. His refusal makes Poppy curious, so she decides to travel to New House herself to investigate.

Book 4 in The Tales from Dimwood Forest

Heartbroken over the death of her fiancé, Ragweed, Poppy the deer mouse journeys west through the vast Dimwood Forest to bring the sad news to Ragweed’s family. But Poppy and her prickly porcupine pal Ereth arrive only to discover that beavers have flooded the serene valley where Ragweed lived.

Together Poppy and Ragweed’s brother Rye brave kidnapping, imprisonment, and a daring rescue to fight the beavers. At the same time, Rye—who has lived in Ragweed’s shadow—fights to prove himself worthy of Poppy’s love.

The story starts in the early summer of 1832, as thirteen-year-old Charlotte Doyle prepares to take a voyage from Liverpool, England, to her family's home in Providence, Rhode Island. Her upper-class upbringing and her education give her a very sheltered and narrow view of life. Charlotte finds herself the only passenger and the only female on the ship, the Seahawk. Repeatedly, people tell her she should not be on the ship, but her escort, Mr. Grummage, insists Charlotte go.