School has never been easy for Timothy Speare. He's had his share of strict teachers, bullies, mean girls, and stressful amounts of homework. If that's not enough, he and his two best friends are labeled as the Nerdy Trio by the whole school. But his junior year of high school might be his toughest yet after he learns a dark secret. Some of the students aren't real . . . They're Fictional. Coming from a world where fiction is fact, literature's greatest villains have banded together and have invaded our non-Fictional world. They may look like ordinary high school students, but in secret they are monsters, witches, and other villains in disguise with plans to take over the world. They may not be the most popular kids on campus, but the Nerdy Trio may be the only hope of stopping this true-to-life Fictional evil. They've read about heroes. Now the Nerdy Trio will learn what it means to be a hero when they step up to defend their world. Joining forces with a mysterious new girl, they will find magical items, face great danger, and learn about the dark history of their school-all in their mission to bring about the end of the Fictionals.