Are you a gifted child looking for special opportunities? Dozens of children respond to this peculiar advert in the newspaper and are then put through a series of mind-bending tests. Only four children-Reynie, Kate, Sticky, and Constance-succeed. They have three things in common: they are orphans, exceptionally talented, and honest. Their mission is a secret. To accomplish it they will have to go undercover at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened, where the only rule is that there are no rules. But what they'll find in the hidden labyrinth of the school's underground tunnels is more than your average school supplies!