Lisa Schroeder

Twelve-year-old Isabel dreams of seeing the world but has never left Oregon, and so when her best friend, Sophie, tells her of a baking contest whose winners travel to New York City, she eagerly enters despite concerns about her mother, who is opening a cupcake bakery. Includes recipes.

Nearly-thirteen-year-old Melinda Jia Mackay was adopted from China as a baby, and she has always preferred to stay out of the limelight, reading and writing for her own pleasure--but now she has a summer assignment, so with the help of a new friend, Tyler, and a therapy dog named Odie, she reluctantly hits the streets of New York City in search of her "true passion," one which she can share with others.