Mommy, Daddy, and Dorothy's brother, Martin, all wear glasses. But not Dorothy. She knows that glasses make people see better, and she wants to see better, too. Never mind that she can see perfectly without them. She feels like an outsider in her own family, and so she draws glasses on her face and on all her toys. But when she tries on her Daddy's glasses, she gets a big surprise!
Times are hard for Mommy, Daddy, and Ivan. They live in a tiny apartment and only have room for an imaginary dog, Ronny, who behaves badly--especially at night. They love him, anyway. One day they are able to move to a larger apartment and have room for The Real Ronny! A real dog! He's wonderful, of course. And they love him. But sometimes you can't help missing the things you left behind.
Matthew lives in an orphanage. He wanted a dog. He received other gifts and things through the years - stuffed animals, toys, snails, even lice - but never a dog. One day Matthew was finally getting new parents, and what did the parents have for him - a dog.
Her good friend has moved far away to another country. What to do now? How can they stay friends without seeing each other? They learn that there is friendship in thinking about each other, in writing to each other, in remembering each others' favorite things, but most of all it is in the heart.
Grandpa had 27 grandchildren, all who loved him, and shared the mangoes he brought home every day. Grandpa and mangoes always brightened the day. But grandpa was getting sick, losing his memory and the ability to even cut the mangoes. He was slowing leaving his grandchildren.