Emma's known all along that girls are better than boys, and the fifth-grade science fair gives her the opportunity to prove it. With the help of her best friend, Louise, she begins work on the most talked-about science project since Louise's brother created a solar eclipse in the school gym. But Emma soon discovers that knowing the truth is one thing and proving it scientifically is something else. Her project divides the school, girls against boys, and Emma and Louise find themselves at the center of the controversy. Worst of all, the facts don't appear to be as clear-cut as she thought. Emma has to decide whether to forge an alliance with the boys to ease the tension at school. Then she realizes that despite her talk about the superiority of girls, she's been underestimating her best friend's intelligence. Only by overcoming her own narrow-mindedness can Emma win the science fair and make it through fifth grade. Reminiscent of Jane Austen's Emma , The Boy Trap recounts the humorous adventures of a witty, charming, and likable girl who is forced to confront the folly of her own arrogance.