Wallace is an eighth-grade student and football player who refuses to lie, even when the truth is uncomfortable. His rigid honesty stems from his parents' divorce, which was caused by his father's frequent untruths. After writing a brutally honest review of the book *Old Shep, My Pal*, he is assigned to detention, which requires him to sit in on rehearsals for the school play.

Rachel is a serious, ambitious eighth-grade actress who treats the school drama club with professional dedication. She writes letters to famous actors to organize her thoughts and dreams of a career on the stage. She takes an immediate dislike to Wallace when he arrives at rehearsal, viewing his presence as an insult to the theatrical arts.

Mr. Fogelman is a 29-year-old English teacher and the director of the school play. He insists on strict adherence to the classic novel his class is reading, viewing it as a masterpiece. He gives Wallace detention for a negative book review, unknowingly setting off a chain reaction that challenges his control over the drama club.

Trudi is Rachel's best friend and an enthusiastic member of the drama club. She relies on teen magazines to make decisions and interpret her feelings. Unlike Rachel, she is instantly drawn to Wallace when he shows up at rehearsal and is quick to form intense, short-lived crushes.

Steve is the star player and captain of the middle school football team. He has long blond hair and measures his self-worth by how much admiration he receives from his peers. He resents Wallace for scoring a championship-winning touchdown the previous year, feeling it stole his rightful glory.

Dylan is Rachel's younger brother and a fifth-grade student. He idolizes the middle school football team and is deeply invested in their success. He views Wallace as a sports hero and becomes highly focused on getting him off detention so he can return to the field.

Rick is a member of the football team who initially tries to help Wallace escape his punishment. He believes the team cannot win without Wallace's presence and goes out of his way to offer support when the rest of the team grows hostile.

Feather is another player on the football team who stands by Wallace early in his detention. He spends his time eating celery to manage his diet and is desperate to get his teammate back on the active roster.

Parker is the president of the school newspaper. He frequently twists students' words to create inflammatory, sensationalized headlines. He uses the drama surrounding the football team and the school play to boost his publication's readership.

The physical education teacher and head coach of the middle school football team. He recognizes that Wallace's value lies not in his athletic ability, but in his unique capacity to bring out enthusiasm in the people around him.

Wallace's father is a man prone to telling tall tales and falsehoods. His constant lying caused significant marital strife and eventually led to a divorce. His behavior directly inspired his son's extreme commitment to absolute honesty.

Wallace's mother is a protective parent who divorced her husband three years before the events of the story. She worries deeply about her son's social standing and the trouble his strict honesty causes him at school.