A self-proclaimed sock detective inside her parents' New York City laundromat, 10-year-old Magnolia Wu and Iris, a new friend from California, set off across the city to solve the mystery of each missing sock, meeting people and uncovering the unimaginable along the way.

A young elephant embarks on a whimsical quest to find various lost objects belonging to their animal neighbors, uncovering a mystery as snail, squirrel, and ladybugs reveal their missing items. Backmatter pages explain the around-the-world origins of each nonsense word appearing in the story.

"When Carmen's wild toss sends the hula-hoop soaring over the fence, the twins don't know how to get it back. But then, as if by magic, their toys come sailing back over the fence. Soon after, there's a new neighbor poking her head over the Garcia's fence"--Provided by publisher.