A Russian ballerina's memoir of life as the mistress of the Tsar's physician. A bout of influenza brings them together, there are balls at the royal palace, an abortion, then the revolution separates them and she flees to America.

After a pogrom forces Batya's Russian Jewish family to leave their home and make the journey to America, Batya hopes her new life will offer her a chance to become a woodcarver like her beloved father. But while many things in America are different from the world of her shtetl, one thing seems to be the same: only boys can be woodcarvers. Still, Batya is determined to learn. With the same perseverance that helped her family survive and start over...

Follows eleven-year-old Masha and her "evil genius" little sister, Sunny, through one very adventurous day, as Masha faces scary situations, meets new people, and gains new insight into life with her hardworking, single mother.

Early in the twentieth century, Nathan embarks on a voyage from Russia to New York City hoping to become an opera singer, and works hard while missing his home and family. Includes note about the author's grandfather, who inspired the story, and his children.