"It's hatching season, and all of Jemison Elementary is buzzing about the arrival of the baby chicks. Soon, the chicks will pip a hole in their shells, unzip the eggs, and take their places in the world. For fifth-grader Jillian, breaking out of her shell is much harder. Jillian is always too shy to raise her hand in class, even when she knows the right answers; meanwhile her nemesis, Rashida, is never afraid to speak her mind. As Jillian's grandma...

Granny teaches her young grandson how to cook the family meal, in this celebration of food, traditions, and gathering together at the table. Includes recipe for baked macaroni and cheese.

Allen, known as A-Train because he is the fastest kid around, races through the city towards the one thing that will get him to slow down.

On a visit to her grandmother Ola, who is dying of cancer in her house in the desert, fourteen-year-old Emmie hears many stories about the past and her family history and comes to a better understanding of relatives both dead and living.