Gr. 5-8. "When it all began, I had no idea anything was beginning." What an understatement! Four eighth-graders get hold of the answers to the geography midterm; three decide to cheat. When their teacher turns them into the office, the trouble really starts. Do they reveal how they got the answers? Brief, fast-paced chapters told in several first-person narratives reveal the inevitable escalation of "innocent" cheating: disillusioned parents, disgusted friends, self-loathing, and, of course, noble rationalization. Koss tidily wraps up the messy situation, giving everyone an opportunity to save face, at least for the moment. The message is obvious, but not cloyingly so. This is an easy read that students and teachers will want to talk about.

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