and integrity. At the start of the volume, we are introduced to a tale titled "The Great Big Man" by Owen Johnson. The story centers around twelve-year-old Joshua Tibbets, affectionately dubbed the "Great Big Man" by his peers at school, who grapples with feelings of homesickness as his classmates leave for vacation. As he watches his schoolmates depart, he reminisces about his life at the institution where he feels a mix of affection and melancholy, revealing the warmth and companionship he enjoys. The narrative sets the stage for Joshua's internal struggles while introducing themes of friendship, belonging, and the resilience of youth that continue throughout the collection. (This is an automatically generated summary.)