The New York Times Book Review - Gary Schmidt
Certainly it would not be difficult to amass a longish list of books for young readers with wise, feisty and beloved teachers, perhaps beginning with Ms. Frizzle and rushing to Patricia Polacco's Mr. Falker; E.L. Konigsburg's Mrs. Olinski; Kirkpatrick Hill's Miss Agnes; Kevin Henkes's Mr. Slinger; Roald Dahl's Miss Honey; Harry Allard's Miss Nelson; and J.K. Rowling's Remus Lupin and Minerva McGonagall…Ms. Bixby is in this glorious line, but this is not a book about her precisely; it is a book about three hurt and damaged sixth-grade boys who have been given a tremendous gift by Ms. Bixby's teaching and life: They have been given more to be human beings with. They are about to demonstrate how much more.
From the Publisher
Kids won’t just love this book. They need it.” — Soman Chainani, New York Times-bestselling author of The School for Good and Evil
“Forget the dragons. Forget the swords and shields. Here is the true quest: to face the unendurable, knowing defeat is inevitable, and yet continuing with dignity and honor and purpose and, even, joy. Each page crackles as we embark on the greatest adventure of all.” — Gary D. Schmidt, Newbery Honor winner and author of Okay For Now
“A story of that one teacher we all have who we’ll never forget, told with laugh-out-loud humor and oh, so much heart.” — Gordon Korman, New York Times-bestselling author of Ungifted
“Brand, Steve and Topher are a comic, lovable crew, and wise, pink-haired Ms. Bixby is the teacher every child deserves. This is a touching, often hilarious story of endings, beginnings, and self-discovery. As Brand would say, frawesome!” — Tricia Springstubb, author of Moonpenny Island
“Anderson skillfully balances realism and comic exaggeration in an emotionally rich tale that holds no miracles, other than the small human kind.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“This surprising, inspiring, and relatable book is perfect for boys and girls who loved Wonder and will make you fondly remember your favorite teacher.” — Brightly
Tricia Springstubb
Brand, Steve and Topher are a comic, lovable crew, and wise, pink-haired Ms. Bixby is the teacher every child deserves. This is a touching, often hilarious story of endings, beginnings, and self-discovery. As Brand would say, frawesome!
Brightly
This surprising, inspiring, and relatable book is perfect for boys and girls who loved Wonder and will make you fondly remember your favorite teacher.
Soman Chainani
Kids won’t just love this book. They need it.
Gordon Korman
A story of that one teacher we all have who we’ll never forget, told with laugh-out-loud humor and oh, so much heart.
Gary D. Schmidt
Forget the dragons. Forget the swords and shields. Here is the true quest: to face the unendurable, knowing defeat is inevitable, and yet continuing with dignity and honor and purpose and, even, joy. Each page crackles as we embark on the greatest adventure of all.
Brightly.com
This surprising, inspiring, and relatable book is perfect for boys and girls who loved Wonder and will make you fondly remember your favorite teacher.
Kirkus Reviews
★ 2016-03-16
Determined to give their hospitalized teacher a worthy "last day," three sixth-grade boys skip school and persevere on an impossible quest, deepening their friendship and discovering inner courage they didn't know they had. Ms. Bixby was one of the "Good Ones"—the kind of teacher you pay attention to and who pays attention to you. For each of the three narrators in this moving story, she meant something special. Topher, Steve, and Brand feel unappreciated at home: white artist Topher's parents are busy working; Japanese-American Steve feels inferior to his perfect sister, who meets his father's high standards; and white Brand has shouldered adult responsibilities because his paraplegic father is too depressed to do household tasks. Alternating chapters chronicle their efforts to acquire an expensive cheesecake, a bottle of wine, and a large bag of french fries for a celebratory picnic in the park across the street from the hospital where Ms. Bixby, who recognized their strengths, is being treated for pancreatic cancer. Not surprisingly, their mission is not entirely successful, but, like Atticus Finch, they see it through. Anderson's dialogue is realistic, and his choice of first-person narration gradually reveals each boy's history and personal growth. His characters are believable 12-year-old boys. The urban setting is appropriately diverse and gritty, and humor and pathos are nicely balanced. Sad and satisfying in just the right amounts. (Fiction. 8-12)
