Dani Pepper is the second-best speller at Fisher Pitt Junior School. When she's chosen for the State Spelling Bee Championship finals, she's thrilled. She and her nemesis--the stuck-up, first-best-speller Mary Ellen--prepare for the tournament. The whole class takes a bus trip to the library to work on essays and learn new words. In the spirit of competition, Dani and Mary Ellen are caught in a kerfuffle over the word 'catastrophe'. Finally, the big day is upon them. Who will win the coveted spelling championship trophy?