In his inaugural title Poppleton moves from the city to a small town where he makes a new friend, visits his local library and helps nurse a sick friend.

In his second title Poppleton takes a trip to the beach, enlists a friend to help combat what he diagnoses as "dry skin" and struggles with the decision to eat a dreaded fruit — grapefruit — in order to live to a ripe, old age.

In next three new stories, Poppleton gets help from his friends when his newly planted tree begins to wilt, is nursed through a bad cold and most amusingly, elists everyone to wallpaper his house.

Next Poppleton tries stargazing, goes shopping for a new bed, and tries his hand at sailing. (Personally, I can identify with his travails in buying a new bed. Nothing is worse that trying to decide whether a new mattress is the right level of firm/soft.)

Here Poppleton struggles with decision to see a movie alone (which is a good lesson for kids and adults alike), makes a quilt with his friends, and enlists the contents of a friend's medicine cabinet to maximize the enjoyment of his daily bath. (Trust me, you'll never forget the phrase "silky milk" for the rest of your life.)

The three stories here cover the migration of Canada geese going south for the winter, buying a new winter coat, and ordering pancakes at the Lion's Club breakfast. If your child is anything like mine, he or she will love the age-appropriate tension in the pancake story as Poppleton gets on the wrong side of the Lion's Club members... who are actual (angry) lions.

In these three stories, Poppleton tries to do some spring cleaning, decides to lose weight by buying a new bike, and enjoys the arrival of spring by staying up all night in his tent.

Sadly, this is the last Poppleton book. Maybe Ms. Rylant will write more but it's been 15 years since she published this title so I'm not expecting it. I also think she might have decided this was the last volume because the final page of the final tale is really very, very sweet. (Don't worry, no one dies.) Oh, and the first two stories in the book cover Poppleton making the most of the icicles all over his eaves and taking on an art project.