Quinn is sitting in the classroom ready to take her test, when she notices that one of her classmates changed their trademark bow during recess. Not paying too close attention, she goes on to take her test. Later in the day, she hears the teacher mention to the classmate that is once again wearing the correct bow from earlier in the day that these were the best test results she has seen in a long time from the student.
Reuben has been asking his parents for a new red wagon for weeks, having seen one in the local department store. They are always telling him 'maybe later', and his father in particular tells him to be happy with the old wagon he has. Reuben details for the readers some of the 'problems' with his own red wagon. There is a rust spot on the side, one of the wheels is squeaky, and it's sometimes hard to pull.
While on a family camping trip, Hunter, who is eleven years old, is told to keep a close eye on his five year old brother, Ashton. Ashton sees a small animal and follows it. Just before he loses sight of him, Hunter calls out to Ashton but is ignored. Hunter chases after Ashton as he keeps following one small animal after another for several hours. When the sun starts to go down, the boys realize they don't know where they are or which direction to go to find their way back to the...
Steve is on a round the world sailing trip with his family in their sail yacht. Steve comes from an unconventional family. His parents like to teach the children alternative ways of living, and focus more on experience building than a regular education. Steve is with his two younger sisters and two adult parents. As we progress, Steve meets two separate tribes on the island.
Rocky has just moved into the area and made friends with Jacob, a quiet, reserved boy who was never part of the popular crowd. Rocky, on the other hand, craves to be part of the popular crowd and will do anything to prove that he is worthy. Bernard, the captain of the school football team gives Rocky all sorts of 'tests' to see if he is fit to be part of the popular crowd and eventually join the football team. One week it's a bike race around 'dead man's curve', and...
Three friends, Charlie, Jake and Abbie meet in the park by the picnic tables every week at the same time to play a pretend game in which each of them is a hero. A group of bullies, Sam, Clint, Howie and Jessica start showing up just after the friend get there to harass them and threaten to beat them up. The friends are afraid of them and leave early. Each week, they hope the bullies go away but instead, they get worse. One week, the friend get to the park to find a festively wrapped gift on the...
On her way home from school, Cassie sees that someone posted a sign that says that they're looking for a lost parrot. The parrot's original owners said that they would give seven hundred dollars to the person who found it. Cassie tries to get her friends Jane and Anna to help her find the parrot. Anna thinks they shouldn't take the parrot back to the owners since she knows the owners don't treat the parrot well. Jane thinks they should return the parrot and split the money...
Susan doesn't know why everything has to be the same in her life. Everyone eats the same thing for every meal, each day. All the clothing is the same, the haircuts are the same and with the exception of a few distinct features, there is no individuality. While conformity is the way that things are, she wonders what is would be like to be an individual and then takes action with some startling results.
Travis enjoys his nightly chicken nuggets and macaroni and cheese. When he sits down at the dinner table one night, he finds that his favorite foods are not on his plate. Instead, there are things he never has tried before and he isn't very happy about this at all. Looking around, he tries to barter with his siblings so he doesn't have to try something new.
Mike is an ordinary schoolkid from California. At 13 years old he's interested in Video Games, Football, and does ok in his school work at the same time. Mike and his class of around 20 students and their teacher Mrs. Jameson are camping out around Monument Valley on a guided tour. Their tour guide Nakai, is of Native American descent, and on their first day takes them around a walking trail through the mesas of the desert.