The reader joins Freddy Fafnaffer the pig as he deals with Mr. Frimdimpny, a crocodile who never laughs and who decides on the rules for reading this book.
Simsbury is sitting under his favorite tree when a red chair and an accordion pass by, prompting him to get up and take a look at the Mud Flats Yard Sale.
The worst person particularly dislikes Christmas until his neighbors' kindness triggers a happy accident that forces him to participate in the holiday festivities.
Revisits the sometimes challenging relationship between a six-year-old (The Pain) and his eight-year-old sister (The Great One) through seven chapters featuring such events as learning to ride a bicycle, having a birthday party, and dog-sitting.