The author describes her mother Evelyn's struggles with poverty in the 1950s as she tried to build a happy home for her ten children, with the help of wit, poetry, and prose during the contest era of the 1950s and 1960s.

"When Bird finds a strawberry, Frog wants it too, as well as little Shrew! They decide to organize an obstacle course to determine who will win the prized fruit. Each of them choose different tasks. But when Frog discovers he can't fly like Bird, and Squirrel can't color like Rat, who will win the race?"--

Welcome to the town of Barksdale, where every dog wants to be the best. Every year, one pup at Barksdale Academy is name Best in Show after the K-9 exams. Nova, Duke, Harley, and Peanut have never won Best in Show. In fact, they've never even passed the exams. But this year, Nova is determined to prove that Underdogs can win! Will the pups make the grade, or are they doomed to be the underdogs forever?

While the other members of his clan enjoy wrestling, throwing spears, and fighting, Leif prefers to hike up the mountain and enjoy the peace of his beautiful fjord; but when clan loyalty demands that he participate in the Viking Games--he does the best he can, but when it comes to comparing clan treasures, Leif has a surprise for everybody.

Exes Lara and Ben compete in a Christmas contest to win money for the charity of their choosing. The city watches them battle and choose what is more important, victory or love.

Deku, Bakugo, and Todoroki endure an explosive work study with Endeavor, who's coming to terms with his role as the number one hero, and as a father. Elsewhere, a sinister group targets the League of Villains, putting their darkest convictions to the test.

Luthor the Doberman, a former attack dog, has a good home with Savannah Drysdale, but every time a certain truck passes he goes into a frenzy, while Griffin Bing is caught up in trying to beat his rival, Darren Vader, at an invention contest.

"Every December two things are guaranteed for graphic designer Mackenzie Graham--Christmas celebrations and the annual promotion at her workplace. Those two things are by no means mutually exclusive. In fact, the better an employee is at harnessing the Christmas spirit, the more likely they'll win the new job. With her social anxiety, Mackenzie never thought she'd be a contender in her company's holiday competition, so how exactly has she found herself...

In a small US southern town, the annual 'Hands On' endurance contest offers the chance of a lifetime to win a brand new pickup truck.

Eden, Kentucky, is just another dying, bad-luck town, known only for the legend of E. Starling, the reclusive nineteenth-century author and illustrator who wrote "The Underland" -- and disappeared. Before she vanished, Starling House appeared. But everyone agrees that it's best to let the uncanny house and its last lonely heir, Arthur Starling go to rot... Opal is a lot of things--orphan, high school dropout, full-time cynic and part-time cashier--but...