That fool of a fairy Lucinda did not intend to lay a curse on me. She meant to bestow a gift. When I cried inconsolably through my first hour of life, my tears were her inspiration. Shaking her head sympathetically at Mother, the fairy touched my nose. 'My gift is obedience. Ella will always be obedient. Now stop crying, child.' I stopped. So begins this richly entertaining story of Ella of Frell, who wants nothing more than to be free of Lucinda's...

A lion starts visiting the local library but runs into trouble as he tries to both obey the rules and help his librarian friend.

When his best friend drowns while they are both swimming in a treacherous river that they had promised never to go near, Joel is devastated and terrified at having to tell both sets of parents the terrible consequences of their disobedience.

Each time Bartholomew Cubbins attempts to obey the King's order to take off his hat, he finds there is another one on his head.

Tired of hanging around inside, Benny and his little brother decide to venture outside where they, despite the order of their mother, head straight for the mudhole.

Little Koko does not want to do anything Bo tells him he should, but each time Bo lets him do as he pleases, Koko learns a lesson.

"After years in exile, Iddo and his grandson Zechariah follow God's leading home to Jerusalem, where they struggle to rebuild their lives and God's temple--bringing to life the biblical books of Ezra and Nehemiah"--

"When Stanley's Mom has to go away for work, Stanley decides to take off, too--all the way to Mars. Can the Martian who takes his place on Earth get by in Stanley's family even in Mom's absence?"--

"When Violeta Graceling and her younger brother Arien arrive at the haunted Lakesedge estate, they expect to find a monster. Leta knows the terrifying rumors about Rowan Sylvanan, who drowned his entire family when he was a boy. But neither the estate nor the monster are what they seem. As Leta falls for Rowan, she discovers he is bound to the Lord Under, the sinister death god lurking in the black waters of the lake. A creature to whom Leta is inexplicably...

Not heeding Dad's warning results in trouble for young Icarus and his kite. Includes a retelling of the original Icarus myth.