[1] Four of the five novels share a similar premise: Henry, the son of an American diplomat, lives abroad with his parents.
He spends summer vacation with his aunt and uncle in the small town of Grover's Corner, New Jersey, where his mother grew up.
Henry is a serious, entrepreneurial boy, and most of the books concern his efforts to earn money by starting some kind of business.
Henry attempts to make money by drilling for oil, hunting for truffles, and experimenting with a homemade weather balloon, among other efforts.
The second book in the series, Henry Reed's Journey (January 1, 1963, paperback reissue ISBN 0-14-034145-5), is the only one not set in Grover's Corner.