On her hundredth birthday, Auntie Violet reminisces with her great grandniece, and wonders at all the changes that have taken place in her lifetime. Violet tries to imagine what she could wish for that hasn't already come true. By the time the cake and candles arrive, she has the perfect answer. This look at one of the most amazing centuries of all time offers a wealth of information. Topics range from inventions, fashion, history, and medicine to entertainment, toys, food, and transportation. Sidebars for each decade are color coded to match pictures within the illustrations, creating a search-and-find activity for all ages.

Janet Wilson decided at age 29, after her boys were off to school, that she wanted to become a professional artist. After a few years of hard work she graduated and was rewarded with an offer from Scholastic to illustrate a book. And the rest, as they say, is history. With a host of books to her credit, Janet is recognized for her realistic paintings which capture the feelings and mood of the characters and situations in the stories she is illustrating.