A very quiet cricket who wants to rub his wings together and make a sound as do so many other animals finally achieves his wish. The cricket's sound is reproduced at the end of the book.
Speckles the spider and Crumbs the cricket think a caterpillar is too ugly to be their friend, but Annie the ant insists that something beautiful might be inside.
Cheerful Vee-Dubb decides to find out why grumbly old Humbugg refuses to come to his holiday party -- Snugg, who is small even for a Bugg, is afraid of the dark until he learns to make friends with the creatures of the night.