This post is part of a weekly series of synopses of children’s books, written by First Book staff members.

Arthur and the New Kid, by Marc Brown. Arthur and his friends are unsure about Norbert, the new kid in their class. Because Norbert acts and dresses differently, the kids in Arthur’s class think he is stuck-up. However, they soon realize that Norbert is a normal kid like them. Grades K-2.

How To Eat Fried Worms, by Thomas Rockwell, illustrated by Emily McCully. Billy Forrester accepts a $50 bet from his friend Alan that he can eat one worm a day for 15 days straight. As the days pass and Billy gets closer to the prize, Alan starts getting nervous and goes to great lengths to keep Billy from winning. With Tom and Joe as their seconds, hilarity ensues while the foursome clashes over what’s cheating and what is an inherit rule to eating worms. Will Billy win the $50 and get the minibike he’s been dreaming of? Grades 3-4.

Lily’s Crossing, by Patricia Reilly Giff. As Lily packs up to head to the beach her family has visited every summer, she has no idea what lies ahead of her. In just a few weeks, her father will head overseas to fight the war and her best friend will move across the country. What Lily doesn’t know is that she will find a new best friend in Albert, the strange new boy next door, and their secrets will unite them forever. This book, for grades 5-6, was a 1998 Newbery Honor Book.