Ady is back. She's in eighth grade now and her nemesis, Duke, is back, too. But things are a lot different these days. Social pressures, cell phones, and the all-important eighth grade dance land Ady in trouble withe Mr. P, the principal, again.

Two new stories accompany Ady's tale. A wizened old man known as Rizzle moves in next door to Shayne. Over the years, he teaches Shayne a thing or two about whittling. But maybe those lessons extend far beyond a few shavings on the floor and can help Shayne learn self-confidence and belief in himself.

Rotten looks on the other side of the fence, maybe to peek at what makes a bully tick. An unlikely turn of events and a tragic story of violence collide in juvenile hall and the homelife of eighth grader Spud. Sometimes a little magic can change the world.