Last year Todd was the smartest kid in Special Needs; this year, he was promoted to the regular fifth-grade class, where they call him 'Retardo' and 'Braindead.' He's really trying to keep up, but he's in danger of being sent back to Needs. Then a history project about the pygmy Ota Benga inspires Todd to use his secret strength-imagination.

Being promoted also meant Todd had to leave his pals behind in Special Needs, even his best friend, Eva. Why can't Eva understand that they can't be friends anymore? Why can't he stop missing her? What's the right answer to that?