When the Lewis family goes on vacation to the lake, Emily gets mad at her best friend Bo, the family dog, so he runs away to look for a new best friend.
Twelve-year-old Jason's dream of being a contestant on the trivia game show Masquerade Mania is jeopardized by his family's trip to California--a cross-country nightmare in an embarrassing camper with annoying siblings and a copycat nemesis.
Strega Nona sends home gifts of candy and bubble bath while on vacation, but when Bambolona grabs the candy, Big Anthony is left with a lot of bubbles.
When his parents go to Africa to work as missionaries, twelve-year-old Henry's eccentric aunts, Pigg and Mag, take him on a cross-country car trip, allowing him to gain insight into his family and himself.
Rosalind heads to the beach when summer arrives, and the rest of the Penderwick girls go to a cozy cottage in Maine with Aunt Claire, leaving Skye feeling slightly overwhelmed with her new role as the oldest available Penderwick.