Dead fish are washing ashore on the Higdon River, and seventh grader Emily Sanders decides to find out why. Mocked by her fellow students and abandoned by her best friend, Emily investigates farms, a golf course, and local factories. Gradually she persuades friends to help her test the waters. Their investigations lead them into trouble with the law and confrontation with the town's most powerful citizen. Can a handful of determined seventh graders find out the true source of the stink in the Higdon River?