The Ridgeways are as delightful a family as you could ever hope to meet: Father, who teaches history at Midway University; Mother, who writes mystery stories and makes the world's best doughnuts; twelve-year-old Susan, a lovable big sister who is firm and sensible but never bossy; George, going on ten, the devoted friend of all birds, animals, and reptiles; and Dumpling, who, at the age of six, already has "a reputation for wisdom and learning."

All the year round, from the many-windowed tower of their big old house on College Avenue, the Ridgeways can watch everything that goes on in the neighborhood. But autumn is the best time of all, with thousands of cars and thousands of people crowding the street on their way to the Saturday afternoon football games in the university stadium—and, from the east window of the tower, a glorious view right over the stadium wall and onto the playing field!

Family Grandstand is partly the story of one football season that was even more than usually interesting to the Ridgeway family because their proprietary pride in Tommy Tokarynski, Midwest's great quarterback and their own special friend. But mostly it is about the doings of three very real children, who, whether they are collectively planning a grand business enterprise or individually pursuing their private interests, are lively, original, and full of fun.

From the dust jacket