Russell Hoban

Jealous of her sister's birthday, Frances becomes mean and selfish, until rare generosity and birthday spirit move her to reluctantly give her coveted gift.

Frances decides she likes to eat only bread and jam at every meal--until to her surprise--her parents grant her wish.

Thelma usually outsmarts Frances until Frances decides to teach her a lesson about friendship.

Members of the Brute family, who live on a diet of stick and stone stew, suddenly find their lives changed for the better.

A man builds a new table sturdy enough for an elephant to dance on and works up to a restaurant with twenty dancing elephants.

Harvey thinks his big sister, Mildred, is mean and rotten and she thinks he is stupid and no-good, so they both spend some lonely hours refusing to play together.

Arthur Crocodile cannot seem to learn table manners until his sister brings her new girlfriend to visit.

Twenty-two poems reflect Frances' observations on the events in her life.