Jake, a budding juvenile delinquent, is sent for home schooling to the arty and eccentric Applewhite family's Creative Academy, where he discovers talents and interests he never knew he had.

Allie's theatrical hopes are crushed when, instead of being cast as the princess, she is given the role of the evil queen in the fourth-grade class play.

With her mom's job and theater on the line, Zadie is determined to help make their show Spinderella the hit of the season--that is unless she accidentally turns it into a disaster.

In Acton, Oregon, sisters Alex, Stevie, and Joey take turns telling about their lives, including auditioning for the same part in the school musical, baking contest-worthy cupcakes, and becoming obsessed with "Little Women."

"Very short for her age, Julia grows into her sense of self while playing a munchkin in a summer regional theater production of The Wizard of Oz"--

Because she is afraid to read an essay aloud in English class, young Patricia is invited to take Mr. Wayne's drama class where she paints sets, participates in fun exercises, and memorizes every part in the play the others are rehearsing.

The campaign to save the earth from being turned off is going well, but Michael K. must enlist fellow fifth-graders Venus and TJ to help hide the SPHDZ from Agent Umber, especially when they become involved in a school play.

"When a troupe of theater students get stranded in a creepy old motel during a blizzard, they play a foreboding game of truth and lies that leads to real danger when a murderer is discovered in their midst"--

Gilbert is nervous about portraying George Washington in front of the class, and he feels even worse when he cannot find his main prop.

"Babymouse tries out for the middle school play, but instead of landing the lead role, she gets stuck with playing a clown with one line of dialogue"--