Kailah and her friend Janette want to sing in the Juneteenth competition, but Aunt Erma says they have to let Kailah's brother Ty sing with them. The problem is that Ty can't carry a tune. Finally Aunt Erma agrees that Ty can't sing. Ty then reads them a poem he wrote about Juneteenth. They decide to enter the act with Kailah and Janette singing for part of it and Ty reading his poem for the rest. On the day of the competition, their act is awarded the grand prize.
After Matt's father retires from the army, he moves the family to Brookfield. Matt and his brother Jeff both attend the Brook Park School. When his father gets a job as the janitor at the school, Matt hears some boys at the school making mean comments about the new janitor. Matt is embarrassed and doesn't want to admit to his friends that the janitor is his father. Matt finally talks to his friends about his dad and then he apologizes to his father.
Jorge Ruiz and his parents have just moved to a new house from a city apartment. Soon, he meets new friends and asks them if they like to skateboard--which is Jorge's favorite thing to do. His new friends tell him their town doesn't really like skateboarding, many people in the town think it's too loud and dangerous. Jorge and his friends end up creating a petition for a skate park in the town, and they win!
Marita is half-Guatemalan and half-Cuban and lives in urban America. Marita's mother wants to give her a different perspective about doing chores, so she compares her own childhood in Guatemala to Marita's in America. Embedded in this reader are several references to Spanish words and an examination of cultural differences, including foods.
Lily doesn't want her grandparents to leave their home and move into an assisted living facility, but her parents think it is the best option. After time, Lily learns to appreciate that her grandparents' new home is the best place for them.
This nonfiction selection focuses on the development of sign language to help people who are hearing impaired communicate with those who hear and others who are hearing impaired.
Suki Tanaka is an American citizen, but she has spent most of her life in other countries such as Tokyo, India, and Argentina. Finally Suki is moving back to the United States. She is excited but worried that she will seem different from the kids who have lived in America all their lives. To fit in, she works hard to hide from her teacher and new classmates that she has lived in other countries and that she knows languages other than English. But she learns to take pride in her unique history and abilities when she realizes that most of the kids in her class come from another country or have ancestors who did.
The Sanders family is going camping. Mom, Dad, and big brother Barry all have things to pack to get ready for the trip. Rachel wants to be in charge of something, so her father gives her a bright orange rain cape so she can be Super Girl. Rachel uses her cape to carry different things while they are hiking. When Barry twists his ankle, Rachel is able to use the cape and the things she carried in it to help him.
Most music preferences and musical expressions are widely accepted today. Cole, a teenage boy, realizes through his grandfather's history that this was not always the case. As a result, Cole is inspired and embraces the fact that he has the freedom to perform something original at his own school talent show.
Graciela, a fourth grader, recently became deaf. After her family moves to Chicago, she fears the kids at her new school won't want to be her friend because she's deaf. Graciela develops confidence after she meets Brisa, a service dog that is specially trained to help people with hearing disabilities.
Rick is upset that his best friend, Anthony, has stopped talking to him. However, Rick's problems pale in comparison to what his neighbor is going through after losing his house to a terrible fire. With the help of a friend, Rick learns to forgive and to focus on the important things in life.
Kylie is jealous when her best friend, Myra, befriends the new girl in class, Rena Morningstar. Over time Kylie realizes that she and her best friend can be friends with others without it threatening her friendship with Myra.
