Miss Spellin' Helen

Everyone on the big kids' playground knows Helen has a whole lot of trouble with spelling. Some say she can't even spell her own last name. The truth is all those letters twirl around in her head like wind chimes in a storm. It doesn't help one bit that Velvet Wigner--perfect hair, perfect grades, even perfect sack lunch--grabs every stinking chance to make Helen look as stupid as humanly possible. And if Helen gets in trouble while looking stupid? Even better. In fact, Helen would call herself a trouble magnet if she could only spell "trouble." A recess incident involving handball, Helen's two front teeth and Velvet's big fat head lands Helen in the principal's office...more than once. The principal has an agenda; so does Helen. Helen just wants to pass fifth grade. The principal has bigger plans--plans that involve Helen competing in the Spelling Bee. Helen isn't too convinced the princi-PAL really is her pal, but she is willing to try her best not to come in last place in the spelling bee. Helen has a secret wish however and that is to beat Velvet just once fair and square. So Helen tries. Really Hard. Velvet tries equally hard to mess Helen up. Velvet has lots more experience. Can Helen ever find her own fifth grade "Happily ever after" when she can't even spell "happily"?