Adventures with the Shortiez, "Portal to the unknown world".

There are secrets in the hood . . .
Salle (with an E) Thornton has no intention of spending her seventh-grade summer cleaning St. Joseph’s Catholic School. Unfortunately, her and her friends’ detention slips have filled a box—and emptied Principal Morton’s patience.
There is only one way out for “dem Drake Street Shortiez.” They need to do enough good deeds to convince Principal Morten they have reformed. Knowing the Shortiez, that’s an impossible task.
Feeling defeated, Salle and her crew walk home through the Chicago rain. Suddenly, a bright light shines through a hole in an abandoned building. Like magnets, the Shortiez feel themselves pulled toward the light and into a world beyond their wildest dreams. Here in Learned Kansan, everything is beautiful, and anything they want can become a reality. The Shortiez ain’t in Chicago anymore . . .
Still, Salle’s no fool. If something looks too good to be true, chances are it is. What exactly is Learned Kansan? Who brought them here and why? Salle is determined to find out. The trouble is, her friends couldn’t care less—they’re living the lives of their dreams, after all. Can Salle find out the truth before their dream becomes a nightmare?