Even though it is summer Sadiq goes to religious school four days a week to study the Quran; he and his friends find their teacher, Mr. Kassim, strict and intimidating, but when Sadiq finds out that Mr. Kassim has a injured shoulder he decides to volunteer to help with the gardening--and he convinces his friends to volunteer as well.

Sadiq's father is going on a business trip, but before he goes he tells Sadiq a story of the Desert Star, which fits in perfectly with Sadiq's third grade class field trip to the planetarium, and inspires Sadiq to build a simple telescope to study the stars when his father returns.

Ms. Battersby has announced that Sadiq's third-grade class will be having elections for student government! Everyone is buzzing with excitement, but Sadiq isn't sure about any of it. Should he run for one of the positions? He does lots of research and gets good advice from his parents and siblings. Watching an inspiring speech finally helps him decide exactly what he wants to do. But when a good friend has the same idea, Sadiq questions his decision....

Sadiq and his friends are starting a video game club at school and planning a tournament for the whole school to participate in, but their teacher reminds them that they also have to have a service pledge, and they are not really sure how video games fit in with the goal of helping others--until a visit to an assisted living home where his mother volunteers gives him an idea.