The new lunch lady at Ella Mentry School, Ms. LaGrange, writes secret messages in the mashed potatoes and tries her best to get A.J. and the other students to eat healthy foods.

"For A. J. and the gang from Ella Mentry School, a night of regular trick-or-treating turns into the weirdest Halloween in the history of the universe"--

A special guest has arrived at Ella Mentry School! Professor Pitt is the president of a local art museum and has all sorts of wacky ideas about art. A.J. thinks it's all a total snoozefest... until the piece he turns in for an art assignment gets praised as a work of genius! Suddenly, Professor Pitt is introducing A.J. as the next big thing to happen to the art world. What could possibly go wrong?--

When boring Mr. Loring retires, A.J.'s class gets a new music teacher who raps, break-dances, and thinks he has what it takes to become a famous musician.

When the power goes out in the school, everyone panics in the dark, and only nerdy Mr. Harrison, who can fix and build anything, can save the day.

"When Mr. Granite goes home sick, the wackiest substitute teacher in the history of the world comes to A.J.'s class and teaches math lessons using magic tricks"--

With guidance from Miss Brown, a teacher who is an expert on creativity, the third grade class at Ella Mentry School builds a car and a bridge to compete in a Brain Games competition against Dirk School.

It's very important for kids to learn about fire safety, and Mrs. Meyer of the local fire department has been brought in to teach the students at Ella Mentry School. But she is the weirdest safety expert in the world. She likes fire just a little too much. Will Mrs. Meyer catch on fire? Will she retire? What will transpire?--Jacket.

Mr. Klutz is retiring! (A surprise even to him, courtesy of scheming Dr. Carbles.) Vice principal Mrs. Jafee thinks it’s her time to shine, but Dr. Carbles has hired someone else for the job! Stand-up comedian Mrs. Stoker is ready to defend her place as principal in a joke-off against Mrs. Jafee. Will Mrs. Stoker have the last laugh? Or will she lose her audience when things get serious?

Mr. Macky dresses up as Abraham Lincoln to get the students at Ella Mentry School excited about their Presidents' Day oral reports.