In the first person, four students and quiz teammates narrate one chapter each, "deftly prefaced by a question tailor-made for introducing the respective team members".

[4]Present publisher Simon & Schuster labels the book for ages 8–12, grades 4-6,[5] but the parental guide Common Sense Media capsule is "Brilliant but complex novel for older kids".

"[S]uperb writing and characters make for a great story, but complexities of plot and style may leave some readers frustrated or bored.

She chooses four of her sixth-grade students (Ethan, Noah, Nadia, and Julian), who form a group they call 'The Souls', to represent her class in the Academic Bowl competition.

Later The Souls stick out their arms and legs when Mrs. Olinski stands up for herself when Hamilton and his follower Jared Lord harass the class.

Noah Gershom recounts learning calligraphy and being best man for his grandfather's friend at his wedding in Century Village in Florida.

Julian Singh explains being new at school and tells of handling a chance for revenge against one of the bullies — remarkably grounded in the part played by Nadia's dog, Ginger in the school musical name 'The Orphan Annie' Konigsburg tells Scholastic Teachers regarding all of her books that "the characters begin their lives as people that I may know, but they end up their lives as characters!