In 1957, problems at the mine threaten to ruin Christmas for fifth-grader Don, his family, and the rest of their Oklahoma coal town, but Don's bloodhound, Frank, is determined to do whatever it takes to make the holiday special for Don and his six-year-old sister, Susan. Alternate chapters are told from the human and canine points of view.

Ella is soooooo excited about the school excursion to TURTLE ISLAND. She can't wait to see BABY TURTLES hatching and she is all set to be the leader of a Special Mural-Making Committee. Ella has also taken elaborate steps to protect her SECRET DIARY from the PRYING EYES of Her Royal Pushiness Precious Princess Peach Parker. But with Peach sharing Ella's cabin, will her diary ever really be safe? Can Ella survive the perils of the SPOOKY 'Island Graveyard'?...