Thirteen year old Lily's world is turned upside down when her parents die in a fire. She is sent to live with her wealthy grandparents in New York City, where she is introduced to a whole new way of life. Lily soon meets a boy from the city's slums and starts to see the poverty and inequality that exists there. With her new found knowledge, Lily starts to make a difference in the lives of those around her.
Private investigator Jake Finn is on the case of a missing person. He follows a few leads and comes up against the mob, but he's determined to find out what happened to the missing person and bring the culprits to justice.
Natalie is an eleven year old girl who loves art and dreams of becoming an artist when she grows up. When she comes across a book about famous architects and their work, she is immediately fascinated and starts to research more about them. She learns about their different styles and what inspired them. She also starts to notice the architecture around her in her own city. She begins to see the world in a whole new way and is inspired to create her own designs.
Anya is a nine-year-old girl who moves from Russia to America with her family. She's reluctant to leave her home and her friends behind, but she starts to see the beauty in her new town when she meets Lily, her new neighbor. Lily introduces Anya to the world of folklore and fairy tales, and soon Anya is transported to a world of make-bel ieve. She and Lily explore the woods around their town, looking for fairies and other magical creatures. As Anya settles into her new life, she starts to feel at home in her new town , and she even begins to see the magic in her own backyard.
John and his dog Max are in bed for the night, but Max is not tired yet. Max starts exploring the room and soon hears a noise coming from the window. He barking furiously, wakes John up, and the raccoon is caught and taken away.
Tony Hawk is a thirteen-year-old skateboarding addict who quickly becomes good enough to turn professional. He quickly rises to the top of the skateboarding world, winning competition after competition. He becomes so famous that he starts appearing in movies and TV shows, and eventually has his own line of skateboarding products. Tony Hawk is now a household name, and is considered one of the greatest skateboarders of all time.
Nia, an African American girl, writes a story about a young girl's adventure to find a lost city. She is excited to share her story with her friends, who she knows will enjoy hearing about the different cultures she encountered along the way.
Sarah's best friend comes over to help her deal with her parents' arguing. They come up with a plan to help Sarah cope with the situation.