Simon Thorn, twelve, is able to talk with animals, and when his mother is kidnapped by a herd of New York City rats he learns he, his mother, and his uncle are all Animalgams--able to change into an animal at will--and that Simon may be able to save the beleaguered Five Animal Kingdoms.

Twelve-year-old Alexa and her companions unwittingly lead Abaddon, now in the form of an enormous, horrible sea monster, to the secret community known as the Five Stone Pillars when they go to bring the people living there home.

Magdalys Roca and her friends from the Colored Orphan Asylum are heading southwest on the back of Stella, the giant pteranodon, to find Montez, her brother, wounded during the siege of Vicksburg; now they are heading into the heart of the fighting, depending on Magdalys's ability to communicate telepathically with dinosaurs--but one of the companions is not quite what she seems, and Magdalys's talent could make her a target for both sides.

When his parents separate, Daniel very unhappily moves to a cottage on While-A-Way Lane, but neighbor Tilda Butter helps him discover he has a special gift like hers.