Very Cool

The third installment of The Perfect Score series, The Perfect Star was really, really good.  Again, Buyea took on important issues without it feeling forced or preachy.  Made it really real and again, the characters are really real.  Great, great series. 

Since I Fell for Buyea

I have been a loyal fan and a very happy reader (listener) when Robert Buyea comes out with a new book.  I was super glad to see a second book with the characters from The Perfect Score and I hope there is another yet to come because The Perfect Secret was another great one, with real kids in real situations.  And this one addressed very timely issues.  Now that Andrew Clements has gone to his reward, it is even more important to have writers like Buyea who can preach without preaching and develop middle school characters who speak with authenticity. 

He Gets In There...

It seems to me that as Andrew Clements can just BE inside the mind and soul of a middle schooler/tween.  And Rob Buyea is the same way.  The Perfect Score is a new book from the man who did the Mr. Terupt series.  This book is like his others in that it is written from different POVs, which I really enjoy.  It takes on bullying behavior, standardized testing, learning difficulties and family relationships, all without being preachy or teachy.  I really enjoyed it! 

The Last?

Saving Mr. Terupt is the third in the Mr. Terupt series from Rob Buyea.  At first, I thought it was the last, but now I am not sure!  I am glad he continued with the series.  I find all of the characters to be sympathetic, real and interesting.  There isn't a lot of action, but it is just a really good look at middle school and what makes a really great teacher.

I Had Forgotten

Just how good Rob Buyea is. Because of Mr. Terupt was his first book and Mr. Terupt Falls Again is the sequel, even though it is marketed as a companion piece. I'm not sure why, because it truly is a sequel. And it's great. You should read them in order, so you can get to know the characters- all 6th graders this year in Mr. T's class. The book is told from multiple POVs an fits together so well. Now I know there were complaints that the material wasn't appropriate for 4th graders and I guess so, but I think it is fine for 5th graders and the kids in the book are 6th graders. I don't know why you'd think it was automatically for 4th graders anyway. The truth is though- there are a lot of 4th graders who know exactly what this kind of material is all about. In fact I don't know what material was so inappropriate for 4th graders. I just thought that the kids were all different and some were mature and some weren't and well isn't that just like life.