Johanna Hurwitz

Second-graders Arlene and Ilene Kelly are twins, identical twins to be exact, and they love being a pair. They love to dress alike, they have identical pet ferrets, and they do everything together. But being a twin is not always easy. And when Arlene gets sick and has to visit the hospital, the twins each find out what it's like to be one instead of two. But whether they're together or apart, Arlene and Ilene know they're lucky to have each other....

A yard sale, ice skating, class pictures, and a surprise party are a few of the things that make fourth grade fun for Julio and his friends, but they must get serious about studying as the statewide end-of-year test approaches.

During the summer between first and second grades, Elisa struggles to write to her brother Russell at camp and then enjoys a family vacation in the country.

When Lexi the squirrel and his cousin Lenox leave Central Park to find the New York City streets for which they were named, they discover that the human world is wilder--and more dangerous--than they had ever imagined.

Lucas Cott, the most obstreperous boy in the third grade, finds it very hard to turn over a new leaf when he decides to become the perfect student.

First-grader Monty Morris includes his new baby sister in a school project, gives his mother a surprising gift, gets a little more than he can handle with his friend Joey's dogs, and learns that sometimes a day filled with excitement is not the best thing.

First-grader Montgomery Gerald Morris enjoys an exciting year as his class acquires a pair of parakeets as pets, he loses his first tooth, and he becomes a big brother.

Nine-year-old Cricket's expectations of being, as always, the teacher's favorite student are dashed by the arrival of an unusual new girl in her fourth-grade class.

Cherishing everything about being identical twins, Arlene and Ilene are astonished when they discover that they do not share everything in like manner, from ice cream preferences to favorite nail polish colors.

When his owner's parents let him go in Central Park, a young guinea pig learns to survive in the natural world with the help of a "park-wise" squirrel while trying to find his way back home.