Salle (with an E) Thornton has no intention of spending her seventh-grade summer cleaning St. Joseph's Catholic School. Unfortunately, her and her friends' detention slips filled the box and emptied Principal Morton's patience.

"Dem Drake Street Shortiez" has only one way out. They must do enough good deeds to convince Principal Morton they have reformed knowing the Shortiez; that's impossible.

Feeling defeated, Salle and her crew walk home through the Chicago rain. Suddenly, a bright light shines through a hole in an abandoned building. Like magnets, the Shortiez feel themselves pulled toward the light and into a world beyond their wildest dreams. In Learned Kansan, everything is beautiful, and anything they want can become a reality. The Shortiez ain't in Chicago anymore.

Still, Salle's no fool. If something looks too good to be true, chances are it is. What exactly is Learned Kansan? Who brought them here and why? Salle is determined to find out. Trouble is, her friends couldn't care less-they're living the lives of their dreams, after all. Can Salle find out the truth before the dream becomes a nightmare?