In 1944 Hobie Hanson's father is flying B-24s in Europe, so Hobie decides to donate his beloved German shepherd, Duke, to Dogs for Defense in the hope that it will help end the war sooner--but when he learns that Duke is being trained for combat he is shocked, frightened and determined to get his dog back.

Mallory knows she's a good baby-sitter. She's been looking after her seven younger brothers and sisters for years. So when Kristy offers a steady job baby-sitting for the Arnold twins, Mal thinks it'll be easy money.

"Claudia has a sad goodbye to make. Her grandmother, Mimi, has just died. Claudia understands that Mimi was sick for a long time, but she's still mad at her grandmother for leaving her. Who will help Claudia with her homework . . . and share "special tea"with her? To keep from thinking about Mimi, Claudia spends all her free time painting and baby-sitting. She's even teaching an art class for some of the kids in the neighborhood. Claudia knows she...

Kristy is torn between her feelings for Susan, the young autistic girl for whom she baby-sits, and the sad realization that Susan will never be one of the regular youngsters.

While babysitting during a vacation at the beach, thirteen-year-old Mary Anne realizes that boys can really make life complicated for her and her girl friends.

Dawn and Mary Anne are good friends, but when they become stepsisters, their relationship undergoes some changes.

While helping Stacey move back into her house in Stoneybrook, Mallory and Claudia find an old trunk containing the diary of a girl who lived in Stacey's house in the 1890's.

Claudia begins to feel like a loser when she is dropped back to seventh grade and she does not get to see her friends anymore.

While trying to find her missing kitten with the help of the other members of the Baby-sitters Club, Mary Anne almost loses her good friend Logan.