Strega Nona sends home gifts of candy and bubble bath while on vacation, but when Bambolona grabs the candy, Big Anthony is left with a lot of bubbles.
Tomie's life seems to go on as usual despite the war, and when he falls prey to a group of bullies, Tomie learns what it means to have a battle worth fighting.
When a dinosaur hatches from the egg that Little Grunt brought home for dinner, Mama and Papa Grunt let him keep it as a pet until it grows too big for their cave.
The author recalls his fears as a first-grader during the initial days of World War II, the attack on Pearl Harbor, air raid drills, and blackouts, and the reassurance he received from his parents.
