During a student exchange program, seventh-graders Ivy June and Catherine share their lives, homes, and communities, and find that although their lifestyles are total opposites they have a lot in common.

When mean and angry Judd, who has never known kindness, takes to drinking and mistreats his dogs, Marty discovers how deep a hurt can go and how long it takes to heal.

Alice is in the eighth grade, and while she wants her life to be exciting and outrageous, she also wants to feel protected and safe.

The summer before eighth grade, Alice tries to confront her fears, not the least of which is a fear of deep water.

During the summer between eighth and ninth grades, Alice and her friends Pamela and Elizabeth decide to improve themselves through exercise.

With his dad's help, Kevin overcomes his fear of the "King of the Playground" who has threatened to tie him to the slide, put him in a deep hole, or put him in a cage with bears.

A wife and her grumpy husband go to market.

A rescued beagle and his boy owner seek love and understanding for their troubled small town in this holiday companion to the Newbery Medal–winning Shiloh, from Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. Christmas is coming and Marty and his rescued pup Shiloh are sure glad about that-for their town is low on love and understanding and they hope that the joy of the holiday will bring with it the generosity of spirit that's so lacking. It's been a year since Marty...