Mary Katherine Gallagher is an ugly duckling at St. Monica High School. Her childhood dream is to be kissed hollywood-style. She decides the only way to achieve this dream is by becoming a superstar. Her prayers, her fantasies, and her conversations with her only friend, Elen Lewengrub, focus on achieving super-stardom. Her big chance is a school talent contest. Her main competition is Evian Carrie Graham, the school beauty, who is dancing with Sky Corrigan, the object of Mary Katherine's kiss dream. Mary Katherine gets some talent-show help from her fellow special education students, her grandma, Jesus, and inspiration from secrets in her past. She also realizes something about a particular silent classmate of hers.