Mr Terupt series by Rob Buyea

Hi everyone, welcome to the first week of October!! For this month’s first post I will feature a trio of stories about a very special teacher and his students. I won’t get into too much detail but one thing you do need to know is that the story is told by all of the students!! If you enjoy school stories, then this should be your first one!!

Titles: Because of Mr Terupt, Mr Terupt falls again, Saving Mr Terupt

Author: Rob Buyea

Genre: Fiction – contemporary

Publication details: Yearling; NY, 2011 / Delacorte Press; NY, 2012 & 2015

What these books are about: 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, the 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. In the first story we meet these seven kids and their new teacher, Mr Terupt, for the first time. Mr Terupt is a clever teacher who makes the classroom a fun place and doesn’t let the kids get away with much… until the snowy winter day when an accident changes everything – and everyone. In the second story Jessica, Peter and their friends have been granted one more year with Mr Terupt in sixth grade. This time around, everyone gets along, but there are lots of personal challenges ahead. 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. The final story have the kids entering their first year of junior high school. There’s a lot to be excited about, but there are new challenges, too. Everyone is missing Mr Terupt. When a fight threatens to break up the group forever, they think their favourite teacher is the only one who can help them. But the kids soon find out that it’s Mr Terupt who needs saving. 

My review: Told in seven distinct voices, this lovely middle-grade series gives you an image of how one person’s actions can affect and change everyone else! I love the classroom scenes and all the characters. Bit by bit, Rob Buyea reveals the character’s distinct personalities. In the second and third books as the kids grow older, the challenges they face become harder, some even life-changing. We also get to read of their families and see how those dynamics come into play. Romance starts creeping into the story line and brings different elements of the characters together. The group dynamics changes. The narrative in all three of these hilarious books sometimes made me think I was watching a movie instead!! A truly awesome collection of school stories!! Loved them all!!

My rating: 5 ⭐