Nellie is looking forward to the first day of school. She'll be with her three best friends in Mrs. Anderson's class and, with luck, be appointed attendance monitor. Her heart drops when she learns that she won't be with her friends, but with her worst enemy and a teacher who is new to the school. Will she make new friends? Lose her old friends? Will the new teacher be mean or nice? Will he recognize her writing talent? Worse, will the class have a pet rat?