by Rob Buyea
Amazon rating: 4.8/5.0, Grade 3-7
Good Reads: 4.36/5
Common Sense Media: not reviewed
4Rbooks: 2/6, Grades 6-8
Synopsis:
The story centers around a group of 5th graders who have a new teacher. It is written in one of my favorite literary styles as a series of reflections from 7 key characters, each giving their own version of the different events through the year. The student who hates school, the brain, the shy girl, the outcast, the bully, the class troublemaker, and the new girl have little in common at the beginning of the story. They haven’t gotten along in the past, and there is no reason to think this year will be different. However, their new teacher, through personal relationship and creative lesson planning, makes a tremendous impact on their lives. When the school year takes a negative turn, they will have to learn how to get along and work together. The influence this teacher has on his students is impressive and is the hope that every teacher has for a class.
Parental Guidance: high
This is a book I would never have in my elementary library, would never read aloud, and could never recommend to a student in my class. Middle school age is a more appropriate reading range for this novel. There are several mature topics throughout the story and quite a few inappropriate moments for an elementary school novel.
In reading reviews on the other sites, I can’t believe how many teachers have assigned this book in their classrooms. Reviews of the following books in the series, which follow the students to middle school, are also full of uncomfortable moments. Among the reasons I would not use this book with an elementary classroom:
Two children have divorced parents because of affairs.
One child was born to a teenage mother which causes friction between her
family, especially her grandmother, and the family of another student.
The woman principal slips and falls in class and her skirt flies up. That
would be bad enough, but there is an extra, unnecessary description involved.
The pranks of the class clown are more harmful and hurtful than funny.
There are interactions with a special education class and the word retard is
used. The descriptions of the special ed students used stereotypic unkind
images.
Recommendation: Low
When I first started reading this book, I thought I was on to a gem that I was going to love and add to my library, and the school’s library. I loved the style and premise and thought the characters were engaging.
Unfortunately, as I continued to the conclusion, I had to change my mind.
The author is a former 3rd and 4th grade teacher. In my opinion he tried to write a book for the boys in his class who don’t like to read, hoping that his use of gross humor would get them interested. I will not choose to read any more books in the series. Parents, if your child is reading this, or wants to read it, I recommend you read it first and make your own decision as to whether it’s appropriate for your child, especially in elementary school.
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