In 1946 a ten-year-old girl tries to understand and overcome her stern father's objections to having a Christmas tree in the house.

At first dismayed at having to spend the last month of her summer vacation helping out in the household of recently widowed Mrs. Hata, Rinko discovers there are pleasant surprises for her, but then bad things start to happen. Sequel to "A Jar of Dreams."

When seventy-five-year-old Henny Hickathrift runs away from the old people's home, she meets five children and their parents who welcome her into their family.

When a young rabbit quits soccer after a disappointing first game, her family encourages her to keep trying.

Gabby daydreams to tune out her parents' arguments, but when her parents divorce and she begins a new school, daydreaming gets her into trouble. Her mother scolds her for it, her teacher keeps telling her to pay attention, and the other kids tease her...until she finds a friend who also daydreams and her teacher decides to work a daydreaming-writing session into every school day. With a notebook "thick with daydreams," Gabby grows more confident about...

In the summer of 1965, Sophie's family becomes the first African Americans to move into their upper middle-class neighborhood in Los Angeles. When riots erupt in nearby Watts, she learns that life and her own place in it are a lot more complicated than they had seemed.

Brothers Charlie and Mouse enjoy a special visit from Grumpy.

Using the power of a magic recipe box belonging to her hippie grandmother straightens out some of the problems in twelve-year-old Franny Flanders' life, but she learns that when you tamper with karma, it can strike back in unexpected ways.

"Star athlete and prom king Ezra Faulkner's life is irreparably transformed by a tragic accident and the arrival of eccentric new girl Cassidy Thorpe."--Provided by publisher.

Mama Sue, Papa Joe, and the kids prepare a fiery pot of stew for visiting Aunt Tootie.