Showing results for "The Neighbors" in Growing Up & Facts of Life

Colors collide when Simon, who makes his life as a black and white photographer, moves in next door to Pinky Lovett, who is obsessed with color. Pinky tries to force him to convert to her ways, but they end up finding common ground and becoming friends.

When a new kid comes to stay with his grandmother at the house next door, Shermy’s plans for a quiet, relaxing summer are completely upended. That’s because Shake is nothing like Shermy. And Shermy is nothing like Shake. Shermy likes to read quietly in the shade of a tree. He knows the proper way to do a puzzle. He collects treasures in the pouch he wears around his neck, and the books on his shelves are alphabetized by author. Shake likes to play street hockey or space explorers. He gobbles up rocket ice pops and Toaster Tarts.

There’s a For Sale sign in front of Mrs. Morgan’s house, and Pinky and Rex don’t know what to do. After they found out Mrs. Morgan was nice, Pinky and Rex became her special young friends. And now it looks like Olly—Pinky and Rex call him Obnoxious Olly—and his family will be moving in. What’s worse is Pinky and Rex will have to play with him whether they want to or not! Will Olly turn out to be nicer than he seems, or will there be a moving day surprise that makes everyone happy?

Mama believed the woman who dies with the most fabric scraps wins. She saved scraps from odd sewing jobs for neighbors. She saved buttons from old winter coats and birthday dresses. Mama had a button from Daddy's first uniform and another from Grandma's cloth coat, and every button in the box came with a story. In her trademark Texas twang, award-winning storyteller Barbara McBride-Smith recounts stories from her family that speak to all of us.