Its graduation day for sixteen-year-old Malencia Vale, and the entire Five Lakes Colony (the former Great Lakes) is celebrating. All Cia can think about-hope for-is whether shell be chosen for The Testing, a United Commonwealth program that selects the best and brightest new graduates to become possible leaders of the slowly revitalizing post-war civilization. When Cia is chosen, her father finally tells her about his own nightmarish half-memories...

Test scores are low and stress levels are high at Ella Mentry School. Wellness expert Ms. Jo-Jo has come to help A.J. and his friends relax so they can ace the upcoming Fundamental Arithmetic/Reading Test. But can turtle yoga and crystal salt lamps really help A.J. and his friends relax and focus? Or will the F.A.R.T. end up blowing them all away?

Told from different viewpoints, five sixth-graders, facing various challenges and under pressure to do well on statewide assessment tests, agree to a plan for acing the tests.