Ellie

One morning in 1930, twelve-year-old Ellie Mae Williams
wakes to discover that her father has lost his job. Ellie
doesn't want her friends to know of her father's
unemployment, but it soon becomes common knowledge as her
family plunges into financial hardship during the Great Depression.
The family must cut the extras out of their life and do odd jobs to
make money. Ellie quits her piano lessons, her mother takes in
washing, and her father raises chickens.

During the summer, Ellie goes swimming with her friends, helps her
parents around the house, and tries to adjust to a lifestyle bordering
on poverty. When she receives a mysterious letter postmarked from
Chicago with no return address, Ellie is surprised to find only a
sheet of music inside. She plays the piece and soon receives
another letter encouraging her to continue practicing her piano.

Although the family doesn't have much money for Christmas, there
are presents for the children, a delicious roast chicken, and a real
Christmas tree. Ellie still continues to practice her piano, and when
the new year dawns, she receives another package from Chicago
containing more music. Will Ellie discover the sender's identity or
will it remain a mystery?