Review Detail

What worked:
It’s quickly apparent there’s something different about the new teacher. All young readers can identify with encountering new teachers and the character in this book combines their common traits. He’s handsome and good-looking but he never smiles. He knows about everything but doesn’t understand common figures of speech. He’s a stickler for rules but his reactions to violations aren’t consistent. Readers will find themselves puzzled over what makes this teacher tick, although they’ll probably have suspicions. And what’s up with his student teacher looking like his grandfather and carrying a black case wherever he goes?
The plot is shared from various points of view that will help readers make personal connections with at least one character. The opening scene is told by a seventh-grade prankster as the new teacher foils his plans to shoot the perfect spit wad. A studious, well-behaved girl shares another chapter about the prankster scaring her in the bathroom and the new teacher’s unexpected reaction. She deals with the new teacher’s efforts to coach field hockey and her mom, PTA president, flirting with him. A lowly-motivated student connects with the new teacher in detention and makes some surprising behavior changes. The prankster’s best friend and the principal are the focus of additional chapters with drastically different perspectives of the new teacher and school.
As a retired teacher, the perspective of the teaching staff and the educational environment are interesting. The principal informs readers that this is a Department of Education experiment so the new teacher’s role is unexpected. Other teachers begin to take advantage of him as they dump all of their unwanted duties on him. However, the new teacher’s methods are effective and he becomes quite popular. He even makes afterschool detention a place where kids want to hang out. As we well know, all good things must come to an end.
What didn’t work as well:
While the plot is entertaining, the major conflict or problem is put on the back burner until the second half of the book. However, the overall story is very entertaining and the climax is worth the wait.
The Final Verdict:
The author has been a favorite of mine over the years and this book does not disappoint. The use of multiple points of view is a familiar strategy for this author and it works very well in this setting. I don’t often enjoy more than a couple of them in a book but I can highly recommend you give this book a shot!