Kek, an African refugee, is confronted by many strange things at the Minneapolis home of his aunt and cousin, as well as in his fifth grade classroom, and longs for his missing mother, but finds comfort in the company of a cow and her owner.

Roscoe Riley, upset with the notion that his teacher could get in trouble, comes up with a plan to keep the bee antennae on the first graders' heads, and help the drummers stay in their seats for the open house play.

Roscoe cannot wait to tap dance in the school talent show until some older boys make fun of him and say that tap dancing is just for girls.