While trying to decide on a science fair project, third-grader Wilson struggles with with fractions and, much to his embarrassment, his parents sign him up to work with a math tutor.

Kelsey is the best reader in her third grade class, and she is determined to lead her class to victory in the all-school reading contest.

Gus waves at the train near his grandfather's house, sets up a toy train, and eventually gets to ride on the train with his grandfather.

Having baked six dozen Christmas cookies for themselves and been given many more by the neighbors, Gus and Grandpa find a rewarding solution to disposing of their extra holiday treats.

Annika hopes to change her best friends' hatred of math by winning a Sudoku contest, but she does not realize how important their lack of mathematical ability is until they make a mistake at the school carnival.

"The third book in the Franklin School Friends series is a fast and funny story about sports, friendship, and sibling rivalries."--

Gus must visit the hospital when his beloved Grandpa has a heart attack.

"Third-grader Vera, a budding artist who loves every minute of her after-school comic-book camp, searches for a way to get her mother's permission to attend the camp's final field trip to Comic-Con." --

Simon Ellis and the rest of the third grade Franklin School Friends participate in a spelling bee where Simon's competitive spirit takes over until he realizes that sometimes the best way to win is to take a chance and let other people shine.

Gus despairs of coming up with something interesting and impressive for his second-grade class's show-and-tell, until he gets a great idea while visiting Grandpa.