Earth is full of suffering and war until one little girl seeks Old Turtle, who tells her about a "broken truth" and how mending it will help her community to understand the common bond of all humanity.

Describes how dads show love by explaining all the things that they cannot do, such as sleeping late, keeping their ties clean, and reading books by themselves.

Although Santa Claus is nearly perfect, he cannot resist a plate of cookies, remember Mrs. Claus's grocery list, shave, or enter a house in the usual way.

All of nature argues about the forms of God, so people are sent as a reminder of all that God is, although they do not seem to understand the message themselves.

Celebrates many ways of enjoying a day when the calendar is blank--no homework, no soccer practice, no anything--from building a fort to lying down and watching the clouds change shape.

Lists all of the things a grandmother cannot do, such as baking your favorite cookies by herself, or opening her purse without finding gum or candy. There are lots of things regular people can do, but grandmas can't. Grandmas can't bake your favorite cookies by themselves. And sometimes they can't laugh without tears coming out of their eyes. Grandmas can't let you go to bed without reading you a story -- or six. But of all the many things grandmas...

Because Grandad has explained how all things in the natural world pray and make a gift to the beauty of life, his grandson is comforted when Grandad dies.

While learning the secret to a good life, a child says thank you for the natural world and for being loved, because a grateful heart is always happy.

Explores some of the many and varied ways a father can express his love, even without saying the words, such as by making pancakes, playing games, and reading a favorite story using special voices for each character.