In the novel, Nothing But the Truth, by Avi, Philip Malloy is slacking off in English. Ms. Narwin, Philip's English teacher fails him accordingly. Since Philip is failing English, he is also not allowed to try out for the track team. When Philip finds out he immediately blames Ms. Narwin for flunking him. In Philip's mind the only ay to fix this is if he is out of all of Ms. Narwin's classes.Of course Philip has been switched to Ms. Narwin's homerooms. On the first day of school since the switch in homerooms, Philip begins to hum the national anthem. Ms.
Narwin tells him not to hum, seeing as it was irritating her. The next morning Philip begins again. Once more Philip is told to stop; this time though Philip keeps going and is sent to the office. The next day Philip is sent to the office yet again for the same offense. This time though Philip is suspended for being sent to the office twice in one week. His parents take his side after being fed slightly misrepresented facts. School elections for a new budget and a new superintendent are coming up, and all the administrators are in a tizzy. Ted Griffin is a man running for superintendent. Philip and his dad go to talk to Ted and tell him another version of the tainted story, hoping that he could do something about it. Ted convinces Philip and his father into talking to a reporter. The reporter accidently alters a few facts and publishes the story. The situtation takes a turn for the worst when the story is picked up all over the country. People who think Ms. Narwin punished Philip for singing the national anthem, begin to send mean telegrams to her and supportive ones to Philip. Philip soon thinks that everyone in school hates him for getting Ms. Narwin in trouble, and refuses to go back to school. Philip is sent to a private school called Washington Academy. Ms. Narwin is asked to take a sabbatical; and then goes to visit her sister in Florida for the remainder of the school year.

Okay so this book had me jumping up and down, yelling at how people were going from the slight truth to a flat-out lie. It drove me insane and up the nearest wall. I loved the book. The way the book was written was slightly different for me, but if anything it added to the great intensity of the book. When I wrote this summary, I was so self-conscience I rewrote it many times.