Readers on the cusp of adolescence will find much to love in this middle grade novel from the author of the beloved MR. TERUPT series that follows three kids who come to realize that letting go of childhood means boldly taking risks to face the future while learning from the past.
Loretta and her twin brother, Waylon, are headed to middle school. Loretta has always been quick with her fists and her wits. Since Waylon is on the small side, Loretta doesn't let anyone mess with him. But now she worries he won't survive without her by his side. Her secret plan: bulk him up with muscle over the summer. Little does she know that Waylon has a plan of his own. He'll show his sister he can take care of himself.
As each puts their strategy in motion, Loretta and Waylon spend the summer going into the woods behind their house, even sneaking there in the dead of night. That's where they first encounter Louie, who is about their age but noticeably bigger. Louie is homeschooled, he explains when Loretta gives him the third degree. Loretta, Waylon, and Louie soon fall into a comfortable friendship and continue their nightly forest adventures. When they unearth a mysterious box, the past collides with the present, propelling the trio on a quest that will forever change their lives.
Rob Buyea's spirited dual narrative drives this funny, touching brother-sister story, where even the best-laid plans sometimes backfire and feelings may get bruised, but family and friends always count. Letting go of childhood means boldly taking risks to face the future while learning from the past.
From the beloved author of the MR. TERUPT and PERFECT SCORE series comes this stand-alone middle-grade novel about a girl who is dealing with the tragic loss of her best friend, and the dog that helps her forge new friendships and find happiness once again.
Twelve-year-old Thea and her family are moving to a new town for a fresh start--her parents' bright idea. To Thea, it feels like running away. She lost her best friend, Charlie, in a tragic accident, and in the painful aftermath, she has gone mute. Her two younger sisters, however, are excited about moving, especially after their dad promises that the family will get a rescue puppy. This doesn't change Thea's mind, though, until Jack-Jack bounds into her life and makes it clear that he is no ordinary dog. As she bonds with Jack-Jack, and as the dog's mischievous ways steer her toward someone she can confide in, Thea opens up to the possibility of new friendships and forgiveness, and comes to believe in what cannot be fully explained.
The seven kids who bonded in Mr. Terupt's fifth-grade class are in eighth grade now and reunited with their beloved teacher. Readers will once again be inspired by how the kids face their challenges and by the adults who help them along the way.
Jeffrey, Alexia, Anna, Danielle, Luke, Peter, and Jessica are thrilled to have their beloved teacher, Mr. Terupt, back for the school year as their biweekly adviser. They still rely on him for guidance on so many things, including these dilemmas:
JEFFREY wants to make varsity wrestling, but at what cost? Worried that she may have the same cancer gene as her mom, ALEXIA takes a DNA test--only she's scared to open the results. Neglected by her soon-to-be-married mom, and wounded by Jeffrey's callous brush-off, ANNA keeps her hurt feelings bottled up--until she can't. DANIELLE has ups and downs with her diabetes, but her budding romance with Luke proves to be the real challenge. LUKE's tackling lots of difficult schoolwork, none of it harder than letting Danielle know he likes her. Anxious about her dad's return, JESSICA pours her heart into writing poetry. Angry at what he thinks is a betrayal, PETER gives Mr. Terupt the silent treatment.
To celebrate their remaining time with Mr. Terupt, the students hatch bucket-list type projects to make the school year important, memorable, and way bigger than just the group. Will the gang stick together down to the final project? Will their friendships endure after the difficult goodbye?
The kids and teacher of Because of Mr. Terupt are back in this warm-hearted sequel filled with unique characters every reader can relate to.
One teacher changed their lives. Now the class will need to change his.
Mr. Terupt's class is spending one more year with him before they graduate and head off to junior high. But for seven students, sixth grade comes with its own set of challenges. Peter's parents expect him to attend private school after sixth-grade, but Peter has plans to stay right where he is. Eager to grow up, Alexia gets in over her head with some older kids. Danielle suspects that her family is keeping a secret from her, and she's determined to find out what it is. Jeffrey makes a life-changing discovery. Curious about her teacher's past, Jessica uncovers startling details about Mr. Terupt. Anna finally decides she's ready for the truth about her absent dad. And Luke's keen observations lead to questions with unexpected answers.
It's a roller coaster of a year as Mr. Terupt helps his students be the best they can be-and enlists their help to pull off an extra-special project. But are happy endings on the horizon? Or will everyone fall all over again?
Spend more time at Snow Hill School with Because of Mr. Terupt and Saving Mr. Terupt! And don't miss the conclusion to the series, Goodbye, Mr. Terupt, coming soon!
'A skillful meshing of characters and story lines makes for another great read.'--School Library Journal
Seven students are about to have their lives changed by one amazing teacher in this school story sequel filled with unique characters every reader can relate to.
It's the start of a new year at Snow Hill School, and seven students find themselves thrown together in Mr. Terupt's fifth grade class. There's . . . Jessica, the new girl, smart and perceptive, who's having a hard time fitting in; Alexia, a bully, your friend one second, your enemy the next; Peter, class prankster and troublemaker; Luke, the brain; Danielle, who never stands up for herself; shy Anna, whose home situation makes her an outcast; and Jeffrey, who hates school.
They don't have much in common, and they've never gotten along. Not until a certain new teacher arrives and helps them to find strength inside themselves-and in each other. But when Mr. Terupt suffers a terrible accident, will his students be able to remember the lessons he taught them? Or will their lives go back to the way they were before-before fifth grade and before Mr. Terupt?
Find out what happens in sixth and seventh grades in Mr. Terupt Falls Again and Saving Mr. Terupt. And don't miss the conclusion to the series, Goodbye, Mr. Terupt, coming soon!
'The characters are authentic and the short chapters are skillfully arranged to keep readers moving headlong toward the satisfying conclusion.'--School Library Journal, Starred
Return to Lake View Middle School in the third book of the PERFECT SCORE series from the beloved author of Because of Mr. Terupt.
Eighth grade promises to be an unforgettable year of tears, laughter, surprises, and star power.
GAVIN's days of football glory have arrived, but an accident on the home front upends his family. Ever enterprising, NATALIE anchors a morning news broadcast at school--where she's unafraid to tackle big issues. Being on the outs with his best friend sucks, but the more TREVOR tries to patch things up, the worse things get. Sidelined with a gymnastics injury, RANDI develops a bad attitude and worries that her mom's new boyfriend means changes she won't like. SCOTT discovers hidden talents . . . and becomes a secret weapon on and off the football field.
It's the final year of middle school--a time to play hard, smart, and together!
From the beloved author of Because of Mr. Terupt comes the sequel to The Perfect Score, about a lovable group of students at Lake View Middle School and the rewards and challenges of seventh grade.
These students are in for a year of secrets, discoveries, and kid power!
GAVIN finally joins the football team--a dream come true!--but Coach Holmes refuses to play him for reasons that also threaten to tear Gavin's family apart. When RANDI attends an elite gymnastics camp, she uncovers a startling family connection. SCOTT starts researching an article for the school newspaper and stumbles right into a hornet's nest of lies. With his loser older brother, Brian, out of the house, TREVOR's life is loads better--until he realizes that only he can save Brian from getting into deep trouble. NATALIE's top goals: (1) find out why Mrs. Woods and Mrs. Magenta no longer speak to each other--a mission shared by all the kids--and (2) teach a certain someone an important life skill without anyone knowing. It's tough keeping secrets. And tougher still to deal with the fallout when secrets spill out.
Cast of Narrators:
Ozzie Rodriguez, as Gavin
Caitlin Davies, as Natalie
Robbie Daymond, as Scott
Abigail Revasch, as Randi
Todd Haberkorn, as Trevor
From the beloved author of Because of Mr. Terupt and its sequels comes The Perfect Score, a new middle-grade school story with a very special cast of unforgettable characters who discover that getting the perfect score-both on the test and in life-is perhaps not so perfect after all.
No one likes or wants to take the statewide assessment tests. Not the students in Mrs. Woods's sixth-grade class. Not even Mrs. Woods. It's not as if the kids don't already have things to worry about. . . .
Under pressure to be the top gymnast her mother expects her to be, RANDI starts to wonder what her destiny truly holds. Football-crazy GAVIN has always struggled with reading and feels as dumb as his high school-dropout father. TREVOR acts tough and mean, but as much as he hates school, he hates being home even more. SCOTT's got a big brain and an even bigger heart, especially when it comes to his grandfather, but his good intentions always backfire in spectacular ways. NATALIE, know-it-all and aspiring lawyer, loves to follow the rules-only this year, she's about to break them all.
The whole school is in a frenzy with test time approaching-kids, teachers, the administration. Everyone is anxious. When one of the kids has a big idea for acing the tests, they're all in. But things get ugly before they get better, and in the end, the real meaning of the perfect score surprises them all.
The kids from Mr. Terupt's fifth- and sixth-grade classes are entering their first year of junior high school. There's a lot to be excited about, but there are new challenges, too. Peter and Jeffrey face tough competition on their wrestling team. Alexia has a disastrous first day of school, and that's only the beginning. Anna is desperate for Charlie to propose to her mother-what is he waiting for?! Danielle isn't feeling so well, but she's trying to tough it out, like Grandma. Trouble with a bully makes Luke dread going to school for the first time ever. And Jessica is waiting anxiously for an acceptance to a theater retreat in New York City. Everyone is missing Mr. Terupt. When a fight threatens to break up the group forever, they think that their favorite teacher is the only one who can help them. But the kids soon find out that it's Mr. Terupt who needs saving.
Fifth grade was full of unforgettable events for Mr. Terupt and his class at Snow Hill School. Seven students were particularly affected by Mr. Terupt. Now those seven students are back, and they've been granted the rare opportunity to spend one more year with their beloved teacher before they graduate from elementary school. Peter's parents expect him to attend private school after sixth grade, but Peter has plans to stay right where he is. Eager to grow up, Alexia gets in over her head with some older kids. Danielle suspects that her family is keeping a secret from her, and she's determined to find out what it is. Jeffrey makes a life-changing discovery. Curious about her teacher's past, Jessica uncovers startling details about Mr. Terupt. Anna finally decides she's ready for the truth about her absent dad. And Luke's keen observations lead to questions with unexpected answers.
It's a roller coaster of a year as Mr. Terupt helps his students be the best they can be—and enlists their help to pull off an extra-special project. But will there be a happy ending for all?
Led by an energetic teacher, a fifth grade class learns a series of valuable life lessons, in Rob Buyea's thought-provoking debut novel.
It's the start of fifth grade for seven kids at Snow Hill School. There's Jessica, the new girl, smart and perceptive, who's having a hard time fitting in; Alexia, a bully, your friend one second, your enemy the next; Peter, class prankster and troublemaker; Luke, the brain; Danielle, who never stands up for herself; shy Anna, whose home situation makes her an outcast; and Jeffrey, who hates school.
Only Mr. Terupt, their new and energetic teacher, seems to know how to deal with them all. He makes the classroom a fun place, even if he doesn't let them get away with much . . . until the snowy winter day when an accident changes everything-and everyone.
