Tony Hope's dream that he and his twin brother, Mike, will someday appear together as players on a national basketball court is shattered when Mike is paralyzed in a shooting accident, but Tony decides to forge ahead and reach that goal for both of them.
Relates the story of the National Memorial African Bookstore, founded in Harlem by Lewis Michaux in 1939, as seen from the perspective of Lewis Michaux Jr., who met famous men like Muhammad Ali and Malcolm X while helping there.
When Epatha tries to spice up the choreography of the new ballet in Harlem with her free-spirited style, the rest of the Sugar Plum Ballerinas encourage her to keep her toes in line.
Brenda Black tries to dig her way out of a mess when she tells her bragging cousin, Tiffany, that she not only knows who prima ballerina Miss Camilla Freeman is, she actually has an autographed pair of her toe shoes.
A tour of the sights of Harlem, including the Metro-North Train, brownstones, shopping on 125th Street, a barber shop, summer basketball, the Boy's Choir, and sunset over the Harlem River.
Kameeka yearns to continue her hula hooping competition with her rival, Jamara, rather than help prepare for Miz Adeline's birthday party, and "the itch" almost ruins the party before the girls learn who the real winner is.
"Told that they will have to move out of their Harlem brownstone just after Christmas, the five Vanderbeeker children, ages four to twelve, decide to change their reclusive landlord's mind"--Provided by publisher.
Unexpected media attention in their Harlem neighborhood bring Shelby Holmes, nine, and John Watson, eleven, a new case that sends them undercover as figure skaters.
