After encountering a scary shark at the aquarium, Sam is afraid to attend a birthday party at the beach.

"It's Bertie's birthday and he's going to have a birthday party. There's a birthday cake to be made, and decorations to be hung, and games to be played, and best of all, presents to be opened. But where is Daddy's present? Daddy has hidden it so well, he cannot find it himself"--Front jacket flap.

It's Ginger's birthday, and she has to invite all the girls in her class to her party, including Lyla Browning--even though she doesn't want to. Lyla isn't like the other girls: she smells like old leaves, doesn't talk much, and once brought a tarantula to school for show-and-tell.