After moving with her mother and deaf brother to Grandma's small Georgia town in the 1960s, Alice copes with feelings of isolation by befriending the elderly black woman who lives next door.

Tall Pine, Spotted Beetle, and Hummingbird are certain that being a rock is boring until Old Rock shares what he has seen and done since he first flew out of a volcano.

"An exhausted Santa wishes for youth and ends up becoming a baby days before Christmas"--

In the historic town of Norvelt, Pennsylvania, twelve-year-old Jack Gantos spends the summer of 1962 grounded for various offenses until he is assigned to help an elderly neighbor with a most unusual chore involving the newly dead, molten wax, twisted promises, Girl Scout cookies, underage driving, lessons from history, typewriting, and countless bloody noses.

Although he would rather be sipping an ice cream soda, Mr. Putter and his cat Tabby attend a cooking class with Mrs. Teaberry and her dog Zeke, where they learn 100 ways to cook beans.

Emery spends the summer building a flying machine with a new neighbor, an old man named Leon.

Mr. Putter thinks he is too old to celebrate his birthday, but when he remembers some of his past birthdays, he changes his mind.

Ten year-old Jake shares a special bond with his grandfather, Billy, but when Billy asks Jake to build him a sod house, Jake is not sure he wants to do it.

When elderly Mr. Tempkin's plan to thwart the squirrels that have been raiding his birdfeeder goes awry, his neighbor Marky learns how special a friendship can be.

To relieve the boredom of a long, hot summer, Mr. Putter and his cat Tabby join their fun-loving neighbor, Mrs. Teaberry, and her mischievous dog Zeke on an adventurous sightseeing boat cruise.