A caterpillar and a young goose become great friends, but as they grow up they undergo changes which separate them for awhile.

Henry wants to climb a mountain, and nothing is going to stop him. Then Sam, the tax collector, puts him in jail for not paying his taxes. Henry refuses to pay to a state that allows slavery. But being locked up doesn’t stop Henry. He still gets to splash in rivers, swing from trees, and meet a stranger. This bear, modeled on the real Henry David Thoreau, roams free.

"A mother has several questions when her son tells her there's a bear standing outside the front door of their eleventh-floor apartment"--

With a lot of practice, a young boy learns from his old teacher how to listen to the sounds and songs of the natural world. When you know “the other way to listen,” you can hear the wild-flower seed bursting open. You hear rocks murmuring and hills singing, and it seems like the most natural thing in the world. Of course, it takes a lot of practice, and you can’t be in a hurry. Most people never hear these things at all. This is the story of an old man who had a special way of hearing and of a child who hoped to learn his secrets. Byrd Baylor and Peter Parnall have combined their unique, award-winning talents to celebrate the world of nature.

"Mabel, the fanciest and sassiest dog the Hamptons has ever seen, causes all sorts of chaos for her parents with her naughty hijinx"--

Alfred, a pug, is made to feel inferior by a cat, a parrot, and the other neighborhood dogs, until a new dog moves in next door and helps Alfred to realize he is fine just the way he is.

Mouse, Hedgehog, Rabbit, Squirrel, and Snake are friends. But one day Mouse hears from Skunk (who heard it from Fox) that snakes are dangerous, especially to mice. Oh, dear! Can friendship survive gossip? Should friends stick together, no matter what? And what do friends do when a friend is in trouble? Or when a friend has hurt feelings? Do you know the answers? Mouse and Snake need your help!

Jack learns to play baseball.

Summary: Explains how plants and animals of the meadow, woods, and pond grow and evolve, such as caterpillars changing into butterflies, eggs hatching into robins, and acorns becoming oaks.