Book Description

This fifth book in the “Ella’s America” historical fiction series takes place in 1885 in a small NY town by Lake Ontario. Ella’s mother is going to have a baby! Ella and her friend Gretchen each plan to sew a gown as a surprise gift. They decide to add lace trims to their baby gowns after they visit their twin friends, Hattie and Hettie Warner. When they admire  Hettie’s lace tablecloth, Hettie offers to teach them tatting. The girls work on their lace, but Ella quits when her lace becomes tangled. She changes her mind after she learns that Mr. Warner had worked on his invention for two years before he had success. Ella continues to work on her secret project, but she begs her sister Dorrie to take her along to the box social, an event for young adults. Dorrie agrees but makes Ella promise to obey her. Ella struggles, but she keeps her promise. Weeks later, she and Gretchen admire fancy lace at the general store. After a rich girl enters, they long for luxuries. Feeling sad, they visit an old friend who tells them about Harriet Tubman. This brave lady rescued slaves because she felt people were more important than things. That night, Ella helps Dorrie with a crokinole party and discovers that her life would be empty without friends. The things she longed for at the store no longer seem important to her. Later that week, Ella and her sister Cora discover that a skunk has gotten into the chicken coop. When they tell Mother about it, Mother sees red spots on Cora’s arms. Ella races to get Dr. Peer. Cora has the measles, and the doctor puts a quarantine on their house. Although Ella won’t be able to work on her secret project, she offers to care for Cora. She believes Cora is more important than a gown. When Cora is better and school is over, the family goes to the annual church picnic. They must leave early when Mother becomes ill. Her baby is coming sooner than expected, and Ella rushes to get the midwife. She entertains Cora while they wait for the birth, but Ella worries. When she sees her mother, she gets a shock. She runs to tell Gretchen the news, and the two girls bring their gifts. Mother admires the beautiful lace trims on their gowns. Their gifts surprise everyone, but the girls get the biggest surprise of all.