Tara Brennan seems to be followed by bad luck. First, the popular girls at Tara's school convince her to break into her principal's office and attempt to steal a life-sized stuffed goat. Second, when the principal discovers Tara, and demands to know whats going on, her "friends" leave and Tara reflexively sprays her principal with pepper spray.
Third, she gets suspended from school for the last two weeks.
Fourth, as punishment, her parents send her to Willow Falls (a tiny town where her parents grew up) to stay with her aunt, uncle and cousin for the summer, while they go to Madagascar.

Not a good start to Tara's summer. But what she didn't expect from her punishment was to enjoy it. Until, at least,
a strange woman makes her collect 13 strange objects for her 13th birthday, on Friday the 13th. And if she fails, the consequences, could be MAJOR.