Mandy Adams is a promising young swimmer, and her bossy mother is determined to make her a champion. This has led to many embarrassing moments for Mandy.
Plot:
Rosie Palmer’s father is made redundant and the family buys a guest house. This causes difficulties for Rosie, including sharing the house with strangers.
Plot:
Linsey Townsend has lived a luxurious life and been spoiled. But all that changes when her father runs off with money from his employers’ company and the family bank. Linsey now faces a tougher financial time and learns hard lessons in being more appreciative, helpful and thoughtful. Meanwhile, her mother tries to conceal the truth about Dad’s absence from their friends, keep up appearances, and dreads their secret being found out.
Morna Cranston is delighted with her new stepmother. But events keep conspiring to give her parents the opposite impression.
Plot:
Tessa Mercer’s mother abandons their farm in favour of the town life, causing separation between the parents.
Plot:
When Jenny Randall’s father marries Ruth King’s mother, the marriage goes smoothly until baby Ian arrives. Ruth is sometimes jealous of the baby, and when Jenny tries to cover up, she makes trouble for herself.
Plot:
Sarah Paterson has been living with her aunt and uncle since her parents’ deaths. But Sarah’s spoiled cousin Lila resents her and is trying to get rid of her while pretending to be friendly.
Jo feels she is always living in the shadow of her older sister Susan. The situation gets worse when Susan moves back a year because of illness and joins Jo’s class.
When Rhona Lockhart’s widowed mother marries Gervase Power, a wealthy landowner who is passionately interested in horses. Rhona is expected to become a competent rider. Rhona loves horses, but she lost her nerve after a bad fall when she was young and now she is terrified to ride. Because of this. Rhona runs away from home and joins a travelling circus—only to be given a job as a bare-back rider! To her surprise, Rhona discovers that she is not afraid while riding bare-back, because she is free to leap on and off the horse. She makes splendid progress and the circus-owner decides she is ready to perform in public. Unknown to Rhona, her stepsister, Charlotte, has reported seeing her near the circus ground, and Mr Power arrives with Rhona’s mother and Charlotte just as Rhona comes on.
Shona Baker’s parents have separated and she has to spend four days with each of them in turn. The bitterness between the parents is causing problems and heartache for Shona.
