As spring arrives on Gardam Street, there are surprises in store for each Penderwick, from neighbor Nick Geiger's expected return from the war to Batty's new dog-walking business, but her plans to use her profits to surprise her family on her eleventh birthday go astray.

"When Phoebe's sister, Okalee, drowns in the river during their annual spring celebration, Phoebe is wracked with guilt to the point that she loses her singing voice"--

Chirchir wants to help her family with their daily chores, but each of their tasks proves too challenging for her.

Young Linnet, her father, and the other bird-people, the Alkonosts, have been driven to live in the swamps of Morovia, forbidden to sing magic, and often hunted by the humans, so when her father is captured Linnet embarks on a rescue mission.

Former circus elephant Henry follows the sound of music to the Broner family's sukkah and a little boy has a clever way to include Henry in the holiday fun.

"A little frog is singing to himself in the swamp one night. His song doesn't seem complete, so he invites other animals to join in. Nothing sounds right until the littlest voice joins the song--that of a tiny firefly. This wonderfully illustrated picture book reminds us that small voices need to be heard, too." --

A child sings along with the songs made by everyday sounds, from the chirping of a robin in the morning to the cooing of baby sister as she falls asleep in the evening.

Pete the cat loves the buttons on his shirt so much that he makes up a song about them, and even as the buttons pop off, one by one, he still finds a reason to sing.

While in North Dakota helping her Aunt Frankie prepare for a possible flood, Lucy finds her voice as a poet with the help of her two-year-old brother Teddy, the rest of their family, and a few cows.

When flutists Twinkle, Pippa, and Lulu practice a song for Fairy Godmother's party, Twinkle cannot seem to hit a note, but determined not to give up--because fairies never do--she discovers there are other ways to make music.