The story about eleven-year old Harriet, who is a spy, plans to be a writer, and keeps a secret notebook filled with thoughts and notes on her school mates and people she observes on her after-school "spy route." However, when her classmates find and read her notebook, their anger and retaliation, and Harriet's unexpected responses, explode in a hilarious and often touching manner.

Sent to pirate school against her will, Maisy Pickles organizes a mutiny among the students.

Betsy, Tacy and Tib have good times and quarrels during their sophomore year in high school.

Thomas is delighted to draw Gretchen's name to be the recipient of his valentine at school, but then he worries that she does not like him.

Although a blizzard prevents his cousins from visiting for his birthday, a disappointed Billy ends up having a very special day when his teacher and classmates must stay overnight at his family's house to wait out the snowstorm.

Lola does her very best to not get dirty at school so she will be clean for her school pictures, but she isn't quite so lucky.

In her own words, a young girl describes her feelings about starting kindergarten and what she does when she decides not to ride the bus home.

Three children who love to make music in inappropriate places are organized by their teacher into a band to perform at their school's open house.

Roger plays a small but important part in the school Halloween play.

When Rosy realizes she does not have a life-long ambition like her best friend Hermione, she decides to become an investigative reporter and investigates Headmistress Gormley with unexpected results.