Kathryn Davis

Examines how the engineer George Ferris invented and constructed the amusement park ride that bears his name for the 1893 Chicago World's Fair.

"Mary and Eddie are meant for each other-- but love is no guarantee, not in these suburbs. Like all children, they exist in an eternal present; time is imminent, and the adults of the street live in their assorted houses like numbers on a clock. Meanwhile ominous rumors circulate, and the increasing agitation of the neighbors points to a future in which all will be lost. Soon, a sorcerer's car will speed down Mary's street, and as past and future...

In trouble at camp because he has bragged about his non-existent swimming abilities, eight-year-old Danny finds himself forming an unexpected alliance with the bully "Two Ton" Tonya.

Describes the various kinds of pets, including grizzly bears and alligators, kept at the White House by various presidents from George Washington to George W. Bush.