April 9th (Parts I and II) - April 9th begins like any normal day... until a fire destroys the teacher's lounge and forces Lakewood Elementary to close. This unexpected event finds the children dealing with a wide range of emotional reactions: Sue Ellen is devastated when her diary is ruined. Binky sees the frightening flames up close but tries to act cool. Mr. Read escapes a school catering job unhurt - but now Arthur is constantly worried about his dad's safety. And Buster feels totally left out because he overslept and completely missed the disaster! As Arthur and his friends struggle with their feelings about the fire, they wonder if life will ever return to normal. But with the support of parents, teachers, and community members, they discover that by reaching out and working together, they can help each other through the most difficult of times.
