All cynical Kyle wants is to get through the seventh grade unnoticed, but a self-help book from his well-meaning mother changes all that. Magically, the book seems to know all about him. And it wants him to improve his life.

Not only is he friendless, mistakenly taking super-difficult accelerated courses, and infamous for allegedly being involved in a violent "incident" on the bus (a rep that has the school terror sticking to him like glue), one of the true A Kids wants to lure him into questioning whether his class cheated on their state exams. How could a book help anyone through this kind of misery?