An account of how the author came to be a writer and selections from his writer's notebook augment stories juxtaposing fantasy and truth, and peopled with outrageous and courageous characters.

Friends search for Zoom Squirrel's missing baby tooth. Includes "acorn-y jokes" and "cool facts."

If you choose to wear unmatched shoes, can they still be a pair?

A little boy provides instructions for properly babysitting one's grandfather, such as offering him tasty treats and entertaining him with special games.

"Life in middle school is finally starting to seem bearable-until Rafe spots his grandmother standing on the free-meal line at the local soup kitchen. In order to help bring in more money, Rafe concocts a brilliant plan-a dog-walking business that soon turns into a huge money-making neighborhood empire"--

Literal-minded Amelia Bedelia does household chores and gets dinner ready.

When Andy develops a severe toothache that prevents him from writing new jokes for their book, Terry uses their fantastical treehouse's money-making machine funds to purchase a Joke Writer 2000, with unexpected results.

Freda uses jars to save everything from a chocolate chip cookie to the full moon, just as her grandmother saves summer blueberries. Includes a recipe for blueberry jam.

When a virus infects Arlington, Virginia, home of NERDS headquarters, transforming victims into criminal masterminds, it is up to Flinch to stop its spread by miniaturizing himself and entering the head of the Villain Virus's creator, Heathcliff Hodges.

School has been pretty good so far. Dory has made a real true friend whose imagination and high spirits as are big as her own. Reading is proving to be a challenge, but having a loose tooth makes her feel special. Suddenly, Mrs. Gobble Gracker, Dory's imaginary enemy, starts appearing in unlikely places. Dory and her friend can only imagine that she s there to prevent the Tooth Fairy from visiting. This calls for some heroic plans worthy of this high-spirited...