Roller Skates describes ten-year-old Lucinda Wyman's year in New York City.

Its sequel, The Year of Jubilo, begins after the family moves to Maine following Mr. Wyman's death. This novel chronicles Lucinda's maturation. Another book that, like Roller Skates, explores relationships between the young and the old is Maggie Rose: Her Birthday Christmas. Daddies: The Story of a Plain Hound-Dog treats themes of death in a manner similar to Roller Skates.