Author: Joel Ross
Genre: realistic fiction
Similar books: Ben Yokoyama and the Cookie of Endless Waiting by Matthew Swanson
Mr. Bambuckle: Rule the School by Tim Harris
Rating:
Summary (provided by publisher): Sixth-grader Alley Katz is innocently trying to help a bunch of kindergarteners when the burrito hits the fan. Literally. A burrito. A ceiling fan. A hail of beans. Now he has to get an A on his science test or he’ll be transferred to the dreaded Steggles Academy.
An A seems impossible! Alley is kind, intrepid, and well-liked, but for some reason he doesn’t get graded on any of that. So the principal assigns a peer mentor to help: Rex, a fourth-grade genius who wears a bunny suit.
Alley is totally in favor of both bunnies and fourth graders, but he doesn’t need Rex. He has his own foolproof plan to ace the test. Still, Rex is determined to fulfill his duty as Alley’s mentor—and he may need some help of his own. One boy needs to stay in school, the other needs to get through it. Can this odd couple save the day—and each other?
My opinion: Alley may be a sixth grader, but the reading and interest level of this book skews several years younger. This might make it a decent choice for reluctant readers. Alley's recklessness and wild imagination make it a highly entertaining read and the degree of misadventure is pretty appealing. It reads like a less cynical, more kind-hearted version of Diary of a Wimpy Kid.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
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