When her grandmother takes in a stranded family at Christmas, Grace is reluctant to share her favorite holiday with strangers, even though the visiting family includes a "real live ballerina.".
In rural Pennsylvania in 1958, when thirteen-year-old Luna's best friend Mason dies, she decides to move in with his mentally disabled mother and care for her as Mason did.
Morty the meerkat's parents, siblings, and friends do not understand his unusual behavior, but after the doctor says Morty is autistic, everyone gets the information they need to understand and deal with Morty's differences.
Fourth-grader Cal learns a lot about teasing and standing up for others when a weird new student joins his class, while Stella, the tenth-grader who lives with Cal's family to help his mother, practices for her driving test.
Fancy Nancy travels to her grandparents house where she gets a chance to sit at the table with the adults and celebrates Thanksgiving with her entire family.
Eight-year-old EllRay Jakes's attempts to defend himself against the class bully always end up getting him in trouble, but he promises to do his best when his dad offers to take him to Disneyland if he can be good for an entire week--which may be a few days too long.
Mattie, a shy fifth grader, wants to hide out at her new school by acting as apprentice to her Uncle Potluck, the custodian, but her plan falls apart when she summons the courage to speak about what matters most and finds a true friend.
In nineteenth-century New York City, when Pa brings home a young turkey in hopes of saving money on their Christmas dinner, his family faces all sorts of trouble--and expense--in their tiny apartment.
