During a scarlet fever outbreak in 1906, thirteen-year-old Lizabeth must decide whether it is more important to be Strawberry Queen or to be at the bedside of her younger sister, who is ill. Katherine is the daughter of the lighthouse keeper. She dreams of becoming a painter. But in 1905, a girl can't grow up to be a famous artist -- can she? Rose just moved to the town of Cape Light. She wants to fit in with her new friends, but Rose has a secret she can't share with anyone ... Lizabeth is Kat's rich cousin who always gets what she wants. But Lizabeth soon finds out that money can't keep her from losing the most precious thing of all ... Amanda's mother passed away, and now Amanda keeps house for her minister father. When she meets a very special young man, can she find the courage to be friends with him in spite of her father's disapproval? The quiet New England town of Cape Light never seems to change. But starting in 1905, the lives of these four friends will be transformed in ways they never could have imagined .