Louis Sachar

The children from Mrs. Jewl's class are all back, including Sharie, Kathy, and Jason, and they are all preparing for the Ultimate Test. However, there is a dark Cloud of Doom hanging over the school that is doing strange things to the students.

David receives a curse from an elderly woman he has helped his schoolmates attack, and he learns to regret his weakness in pandering to others for the sake of popularity before new friends and a very nice girl help him to be a stronger, more assertive person.