Michael (almost thirteen) is now home from the Caribbean cruise his uncle bought for his family. In the end he lost so much on that cruise -his uncle, his father-but he remains courageous. His trailer life at home in Miami is dull and poor. However, Michael is brilliant and all his peers hate him for it. He is determined when he walks into his Miami high school not to get bullied. The next day there he is on the ground, being kicked by a pack of boys. His single mom and seven-year-old sister Brie support him, but until Michael finds a way to eradicate bullying in all the schools in Miami and win the ten-thousand-dollar reward to do it, his life is a living nightmare. Then he meets Gloria and Gavin, two university students who take him on as an apprentice, and along with their dog they travel to every school to present the basic facts about bullying. Michael finds his life changing with this dog, and with every presentation. The pack of boys who had originally kicked him on the playground become his team of advocates as they take on the city of Miami and the bullies in every school.