Three boys grow up in the same drug-infested, gang-ruled, poverty-stricken neighborhood. Nelson becomes a successful doctor, his best friend Jesse, an award-winning architectural engineer, but Nelson’s brother Alvin ends up in jail. In this riveting tale, Nelson relates the story of their childhood, and how, with the love and guidance of his grandparents, they come upon valuable lessons on how against all odds to become successful.

Androcles lives a miserable life as the slave of a cruel and unjust master. Even though runaway slaves face the death penalty, he flees to the nearby woods. There Androcles delights in his new-found freedom. He also makes an unusual friend: a lion with an injured paw. The two live together happily, but the lion gets captured, and shortly afterwards Androcles, too. Androcles is punished by being fed to a lion.

Mama and Papa have always warned their chicks never to have anything to do with strangers. But the sly fox disguises himself as a little lamb, and uses different tactics to try to trick the chicks to go with him.

“Why fit in when you were born to stand out?” When a storm separates a young eagle from his family, he takes up residence with a Set of chickens. Poking fun at his crooked beak, the way he flaps his wings, and his white feathered head, the eagle is ashamed and embarrassed.