Adderson, Caroline

Curtis, a twelve-year-old boy who is used to taking care of himself and his five-year-old brother Artie, does not worry when his mother does not return from her night job at the local gas bar, but when the landlord demands the rent and they max out their mother's credit cards, the boys run away with their neighbor Mrs. Burt. As the summer with Mrs. Burt comes to a close, Curtis begins to wonder whether Mrs. Burt is helping them or kidnapped them.

Jasper John Dooley's turn to be Star of the Week at school gets ruined when a new baby at Ori's house takes attention away from Jasper's Show and Tell, prompting him to build himself a baby brother out of wood.

Jasper John Dooley is not happy to be paired with Isabel, who really likes him, for a reading partner, but when he goes to her house and plays on the trampoline, he begins to change his mind.

Jasper John Dooley enjoys spending time with his grandma, but when she goes on a cruise without him, he must learn to cope without her.

After Jasper accidentally receives an energy drink from the vending machine, he drinks it, knowing that it is "bad", and continuing to do so the following days, finds himself doing more "bad" things.

Nicola?as adorable little dog June Bug keeps getting into trouble. She steals the neighbor?as turkey, yanks down the Christmas tree, and destroys Mom?as almost-finished giant crossword. Everyone is mad, and it looks as though June Bug?as days are numbered. Will doing a good deed make up for June Bug?as bad behavior? Nicola certainly hopes so. And when she and June Bug come across a new nursing home in the neighborhood, it feels like a sign. They volunteer to become regular visitors at Shady Oaks, certain that June Bug?as cute tricks will cheer up the elderly residents. But something unusual is going on at the home, where it seems that a few of the more remarkable patients are being kept against their will. Freeing them will bring out the very best in Nicola, and especially in June Bug.

Jasper John Dooley is not happy to be paired with Isabel, who really likes him, for a reading partner, but when he goes to her house and plays on the trampoline, he begins to change his mind.

At first Curtis isn't worried when his mother doesn't come home after her all-night shift at the gas bar. For a time Curtis manages on his own, looking after himself and his five-year-old brother. But then the credit card maxes out and the landlord starts demanding the rent. Just in time the boys make friends with cranky old Mrs. Burt who lives across the street. With the neighbor the boys go on an adventure. But will they ever return to their mother?.

When Jasper's Nan takes a cruise to Alaska and leaves him behind, he struggles all week long without her, but manages to have some exciting adventures of his own to tell her about when she returns.

Jasper John Dooley's turn to be Star of the Week at school gets ruined when a new baby at Ori's house takes attention away from Jasper's Show and Tell, prompting him to build himself a baby brother out of wood.