When their favorite pizza restaurant almost goes out of business, the Alden children try to help their friends stay open while they find out who is behind all their problems.
After the death of his grandmother, ten-year-old Spoon observes the changes in his grandfather and tries to find the perfect artifact to preserve his memories of her.
Lisa learns about the mathematics of measuring by measuring her dog Penny with all sorts of units, including pounds, inches, dog biscuits, and cotton swabs.
Jody can't throw the baseball hard, so it usually falls short of its mark. Then one day he gets beaned with a ball and must overcome fear and humiliation.
The Alden children investigate various mix-ups at a zoo run by their grandfather's friend in an effort to save it not only from pranksters but also from the town council.
The Alden children suspect that the other guests are somehow involved when things begin to disappear at the bed and breakfast where they are staying in Washington, D.C.