When she confronts a screaming raccoon that may or may not be a ghost, animal control officer Francine Poulet questions her abilities.

When Chess moves near Joni, their differing opinions have Joni defending her family's farm, and she must find the courage to stand up to Chess when she decides to "rescue" the minature horses from a nearby farm.

Rafe Khatchadorian is horrified that because of a missed science assignment he has to go to summer school; but instead of three weeks in a school room he finds himself a volunteer at Bushytail animal refuge, which is really hard, smelly work--and somehow he needs to use the experience (and the help of a girl he meets there) to produce a first class science report.

An act of tender compassion is given (and repaid) in secret during an icy winter night. "One snowy night, a fox loses its way, entering a village. Chased away by the grown ups, Fox takes shelter in a greenhouse. A little boy sees this from his window. Without hesitating, he brings a basket of food to the greenhouse, where he leaves it for the fox. His gift is noticed and the night becomes a garden of new life, nourished by compassion and kindness....

With the help of his older brother, Ethan cares for the stray cats he encounters on the way to school.