In 2005, the president surprises the Senate with a treaty that sells California to Japan for $60 trillion. Even for such a staggering sum, nobody takes the treaty seriously--until California's Senator Matt "Bomber" Nakamura endorses it. Since he'll lose his job if the treaty goes through, he becomes a national hero-the "Martyr to Zilching the Debt"-and the treaty gains support.

But his wife Barbara suspects the real reason behind his endorsement: he arm-twisted the promise of a huge bribe from Japan's ambassador. Barbara is determined to stop her husband at any cost, to save the...

Primmytwoshoes Ebergrimm wants yellow cake with chocolate frosting in her school lunches. Right now, this is not allowed. Alas, Primmy has been given only one shot at earning Dessert Privilege-and she knows that if she tries, she will fail. Primmy's older sister Karen volunteers to take Primmy's place in the Pie-Throwing Elimination; Karen pledges to sign over Dessert Privilege to her younger sister when Karen wins.

Wait, what? What is going on?

Verylongnameus Ice, the Superintendent of Schools for the Panem (Colorado) Independent School District, is an evil man. He poisons...

When the zombies come, Ella's stepmother Perra leaves Ella to die. This comes after Perra demoted Ella to barefoot, patched-clothes servant girl, and after Perra's daughters ridiculed Ella and stole from her.

Ella is pure at heart. Ella's fairy godmother Pinecone gives Ella a magic necklace to protect her from zombies, which only someone pure at heart can wear. Because Ella is pure at heart, her mother's dying words to her are "Stay good and kind."

Then Perra locks Ella out of the house when the zombies come. Why doesn't Ella die? Because Ella's magic necklace, it...