emma Mcgraw is slowly making friends at her new school. but when Cynthia calls her weird, emma is shocked. they are supposed to be best friends! in response, emma decides that Cynthia's new name should be bossy pants, and she tells everyone in the class. Now the entire third grade is trading nicknames. And while it starts out being funny, emma begins to see the downside of name-calling. but just when she decides it's time for apologies, her teacher makes the most dreaded call of all--the one to everyone's parents.