At bedtime, Grandma tells Max and Ruby three favorite stories about themselves

When the Depression hits in Cairo, Illinois, and Oscar Ogilvie's father must sell their home and vast model train set-up to look for work in California, eleven-year-old Oscar is left with his dour aunt, where he befriends a mysterious drifter, witnesses a stunning bank robbery, and is suddenly catapulted onto a train that takes him to a different time and place.

Max makes an earthworm cake for Grandma's birthday and helps Ruby with her angel surprise cake. At the store, the grocer can't read all of the shopping list, until Max solves the problem by drawing a picture.

"When Sophie's new sister won't stop crying, only two-year-old Sophie can communicate with her, even if she isn't using her words as her parents want her to"--

Max enjoys a busy day at school.

"Sophie's parents tell her to say 'Hello,' 'Thank-you,' and 'Goodbye,' but the words stick like glue in Sophie's mouth and won't come out"--

Traces the experiences of Miss Harmony's alligator kindergarteners, whose classmate throws disruptive temper tantrums.

Shortly before the Warthogs' wedding is set to begin, ring-bearer Max loses the ring and he, Ruby, and their friend Louise search the Ritz Hotel from bottom to top trying to get it back in time.

Despite the doubts of some classmates and her native-born Japanese mother's inability to read English, Yoko finds the key to reading and catches up with the other students in putting new leaves on the classroom's book tree.

"Felix has a new best friend! With take-charge Fiona, anything seems possible, and before Felix knows it, she sweeps him into singing and dancing with her as pixies in the Guinea Pig Jubilee talent show. But right after Felix's first-prize triumph, trouble waits in the wings. "Twinkletoes!" someone taunts, and Felix crumbles. Can he pull himself together and face down the bullies? With a little help from Fiona, can Felix find a magic key that unlocks...