Groark and Muggsy learn how important honesty and trust are in building good friendships. When Muggsy tries to impress Groark by stealing an expensive birthday present for him, Groark struggles to figure out the right thing to do, and teaches Muggsy that it is better to have friends you can trust than expensive toys.
Burna discovers that name-calling, teasing, and put-downs are not good natured fun. When her friends ostracize her for treating them disrespectfully and for bullying a new kid on the playground, Burna learns that the way to have good friendships is to treat people the way you would like them to treat you.
Groark and Burna learn that being irresponsible can be unfair and hurtful to everyone, including themselves. When Burna neglects an important responsibility by dumping it on Muggsy, and Groark makes a mistake and lets Muggsy take the blame, the result is a tangle of hard feelings that nearly brings their friendships to a painful end.
Essie learns that being fair to everybody can be a lot harder than it seems. When she has to decide which of her friends will get the starring role in the annual Popcorn Park play, Essie has a lot to consider — including the not-so-fair actions of the two competitors.
Burna discovers (by being a "reading buddy") the personal rewards that come from giving of yourself to help somebody else. When Burna has to make a hard choice between doing a community service project and playing soccer, she learns that caring is more about what we do than about how we feel.
Nubbs becomes a hero to his friends by helping them tap into their power to make an important difference in their community. When Nubbs leads his friends in a successful effort to transform an ugly vacant lot into a beautiful grove of shady trees, they all experience the satisfaction and the benefits that come from being good citizens.