"A boy turns a cardboard box into a car and imagines what it would be like to take his mama for a drive all around town"--

Sara, her Russian-American grandmother, her mother, and some neighbors try to drive to the beach on a very hot day

Jacob watches his favorite television show, "Baking with Chef Monty," and bakes a beautiful peach pie, which he gives to his parents for their anniversary

A five-year-old girl who is brave and strong faces night noises, too much light, and spooky shadows, all without calling her parents, before finally feeling sleepy

Beatrice enjoys learning to spell, and gets really excited about it after some encouragement from her grandmother, but she has trouble convincing her classmates that spelling is not boring

Eleven-year-old Shirley Alice Burns lives with her domineering mother, Hurricane Anna, and loving Grandmother. One day she unexpectedly discovers that her beloved father isn't in Absentia as her family would have her believe, but dead. And, she understands all too well why they haven't told her; she's always been shy and quiet, and Anna has always been protective of her. But, if Shirley doesn't start speaking up, she isn't going to be able to do the...

When Ava and her sister Arlie see the "Write a Poem / Win a Pet" sign in Mr. Noah's pet shop window, Ava is sure the prize is going to be a dog and convinces Arlie to enter the contest with her. The girls write the best poem they can, and while waiting and hoping to win, they decide that "Lucille" would be the perfect name for a dog. But when Mr. Noah finally announces that they have won, Ava is so disappointed when she sees the prize, a parakeet,...

Violet is so shy that she never makes waves in the swimming pool or swallowing sounds at snack time. She shrinks whenever anyone watches her. So what will Violet do when her teacher, Mrs. Maxwell, gives her a big part in the school play?