Nancy is delighted that the new boy in her class is from Paris and sets out to become his friend, then discovers that this Parisian is not quite as fancy as she had thought.
Arthur is snubbed by Francine after she hears he said she looked like a marshmallow in her fluffy sweater, but when the two are accidentally locked in the library, they remember why they are such good friends.
After her mother leaves home suddenly, thirteen-year-old Sal and her grandparents take a car trip retracing her mother's route. Along the way, Sal recounts the story of her friend Phoebe, whose mother also left.
When Gerald the Elephant is sad, Piggie is determined to cheer him up, but finds after many tries that it only takes the simplest thing to change Gerald's mood.