"The war against Voldemort is not going well: even Muggle governments are noticing. Ron scans the obituary pages of The Daily Prophet looking for familiar names. Dumbledore is absent from Hogwarts for long stretches of time, and the Order of the Phoenix has already suffered losses. And yet... As in all wars, life goes on. Sixth-year students learn to Apparate, and lose a few eyebrows in the process. The Weasley twins expand their business. Teenagers...

Nikki's diary describes a frightful Halloween, on which she helps with her sister's ballet class party at the same time she is Brandon's date for their middle school Halloween dance, where she has promised to spend the evening with her two best friends.

When Nancy, the girl who loves to use fancy words, learns about Earth Day and "being green," her enthusiasm causes problems at home.

"'Someone is stalking me!'...Darcy Wills is in big trouble. And she does not know where to turn for help. First there was the mysterious stranger who started following her. Then there was the threatening note left on her desk at Bluford High School. And now her sister has disappeared. Forced into a desperate race against time, Darcy must take action to save her sister--and her fragile family--before it is too late"--Book description.

"Spring break is here! With no school or homework for a week, Hubie can finally read his pile of comic books. But instead, mom tells him to pack his suitcase. They're going to visit Grandma. Hubie has no choice, he has to go. Spring break must might break Hubie!"-- Page [4] cover.

"A life-long speech competitor, Leela loves nothing more than crushing the competition, all while wearing a smile. But when she meets the incorrigible Firoze Darcy, a debater from an elitist private school, Leela can't stand him. Unfortunately, he'll be competing in the state league, so their paths are set to collide. But why attempt to tolerate Firoze when Leela can one-up him? The situation is more complicated than Leela anticipated, though, and...

"In grade school, Darcy Wills and Brisana Meeks were friends. But all that changed at Bluford High when Darcy started hanging with "the zeros"--a group of students Brisana despises. Now the former friends are bitter rivals, and the tension between them is getting worse. For a while, Darcy tries to stay calm, ignoring her old friend's daily taunts. But when she learns that Brisana is after her boyfriend, Hakeem Randall, Darcy knows she must do something....

"Hubie wants to put on a magic show. He has a magician's cap and cape. He has a stage. He even has a few assistants. The only problem is... he doesn't have any tricks. The show is on Saturday! That makes Hubie want to disappear. Can the Great Hubini get his act together? Or will his magic show be a tragic show?-- Page [4] cover.

"Audrey Singer revels in her position as the admissions director of an exclusive Manhattan private school. Parents cater to her whims and desires, desperate to give their children an edge. Audrey's power is undeniable; privilege comes with the territory. Her perfect marriage completes the glossy picture of her life. Until the arrival of the neurotic, vulnerable Sarah Price. Determined to get her son into the city's most coveted kindergarten class,...

Meet Amber Brown, the unforgettable third-grader whose spunk and good humor help her survive the joys and sorrows that life delivers in this collection of four stories.