Saving Mr. Terupt

May 1, 2015
Seventh-graders Alexia, Anna, Danielle, Jessica, Jeffrey, Luke, and Peter struggle to hold on to the bonds formed in Mr. Terupt's class in fifth and sixth grade and to their favorite teacher, whose job is in jeopardy. Month by month, in alternating first-person accounts, these likable young people describe their first year in middle school. The English teacher loves words as much as Jessica does. Peter and Jeffrey join the wrestling team; Luke's elected to student government. Anna and Danielle scheme to become half sisters in reality. Danielle develops diabetes, and Lexie's mother has breast cancer. A spur-of-the-moment spin-the-bottle game goes awry, temporarily tearing the group apart. Even from a distance, Mr. Terupt seems to know what's happening and devises a project to keep them talking. But it's the threat to the sixth-grade teacher's job, likely to be eliminated in the wake of tax protests and school budget cuts, that really brings them back together for a series of campaigns that seem to lose the battle but win the war. "Hard times like these make you better...as long as you have the right attitude about things," this perceptive teacher says. Necessary background is deftly woven in, making this third in the series as easy for new readers to pick up as it is for returning fans. A warmly gracious invitation to a convincing middle school world. (Fiction. 10-14)

COPYRIGHT(2015) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

May 1, 2015

Gr 4-7-The Terupt gang is back in the third installment of Buyea's memorable classroom drama series. On the eve of their entry into junior high, the students from Snow Hill School are gearing up for a new year without their beloved teacher. After brainstorming a way to work on a collaborative project in Mr. Terupt's current classroom, the group is able to spend quality time with one another as well as with "Teach." However, tensions flare for some of the friends after a harmless game of Spin the Bottle goes awry. Despite the threat to their friendship, unforeseen circumstances bring the kids back together when they discover that Mr. Terupt needs their help. As the group navigate the ups and downs of team sports, family illness, town budgets, and young love, they begin to realize that the only constant through life's storms is the bond of friendship. Buyea has a knack for making his character's voices distinct. This offering will resonate with tween audiences seeking realistic stories with multifaceted characters. VERDICT Fans of the "Terupt" novels (Random) will cheer as the Snow Hill crowd enters seventh grade, though this latest volume will also appeal to newcomers to the series.-Claire Moore, Darien Library, CT

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.