Ms. Bixby's last day / John David Anderson.

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

New York Times Book Review Editor's Choice

A funny, heartwarming, and heartbreaking contemporary story about three boys, one teacher, and a day none of them will ever forget.

"Kids won't just love this book. They need it." --Soman Chainani, New York Times bestselling author of The School for Good and Evil

"Each page crackles as we embark on the greatest adventure of all." --Gary D. Schmidt, Newbery Honor winner and author of Okay for Now

Everyone knows there are different kinds of teachers. The boring ones, the mean ones, the ones who try too hard, the ones who stopped trying long ago. The ones you'll never remember, and the ones you want to forget. Ms. Bixby is none of these. She's the sort of teacher who makes you feel like school is somehow worthwhile. Who recognizes something in you that sometimes you don't even see in yourself. Who you never want to disappoint. What Ms. Bixby is, is one of a kind.

Topher, Brand, and Steve know this better than anyone. And so when Ms. Bixby unexpectedly announces that she won't be able to finish the school year, they come up with a risky plan--more of a quest, really--to give Ms. Bixby the last day she deserves. Through the three very different stories they tell, we begin to understand what Ms. Bixby means to each of them--and what the three of them mean to each other.

John David Anderson is the author of Sidekicked and The Dungeoneers, proven winners with middle grade readers, and Ms. Bixby's Day is no exception.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Publishers Weekly Review

Three sixth-grade boys embark on a tragicomic quest to do something special for their beloved teacher, who has announced that she won't be able to finish out the year following her cancer diagnosis. Upon learning that Ms. Bixby is in the hospital and this is their last chance to see her, best friends Topher, Brand, and Steve concoct a plan to skip school, acquire certain supplies, and spring Ms. Bixby for one last day of fun. But as good intentions collide with reality, the three are forced to adapt their plan and confront the possibility of defeat. The narrative unfolds in humorous yet insightful ways, illuminating Ms. Bixby's influence on the students' personal and scholastic lives and emphasizing the power that a good teacher, mentor, or friend can have. Topher's rich imagination, Steve's sharp intelligence, and Brand's common sense keep the rotating voices distinct and the story lively. Anderson (The Dungeoneers) skillfully balances realism and comic exaggeration in an emotionally rich tale that holds no miracles, other than the small human kind. Ages 8-12. Agency: Adams Literary. (June) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

School Library Journal Review

Gr 4-6-When Topher, Steve, and Brand learn that Ms. Bixby is terminally ill, they decide to cut class and give their beloved teacher a truly special tribute, but nothing goes as planned. Simultaneously heartrending, uproariously funny, and affirming, this is that rare story that centers on loss yet isn't overwhelmed by grief or pain; at its heart, this tale celebrates life, friendship, and the importance of finding one's own voice. © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Booklist Review

*Starred Review* When Ms. Bixby tells her sixth-grade class that she has cancer and will be leaving before the school year ends, her students are stunned. But the following week, when they learn that she's already gone into the hospital to start treatment several days early, three boys swing into action, carrying out an ambitious (and mostly legal) plan to create a grand gesture of appreciation, bravado, and connection. Facing a series of practical challenges but armed with Bixbyisms (their teacher's favorite sayings), Topher, Steve, and Brand display a winning mixture of courage and naïveté as they collect an odd assortment of necessities and head for the hospital. The boys are at an interesting stage. In an early scene, they're running from a girl who supposedly has cooties, but soon they're carrying out a serious, chivalrous mission. The first-person narration rotates among the three boys, and readers at first may have a bit of trouble keeping who's who straight. Through dialogue, action, memories, and reflections, the narrators move the story forward, filling in gaps in understanding until the complex puzzle is complete. Through their individual, interwoven narratives, these well-developed characters become the most intriguing elements of the story. A smart, funny, ultimately moving novel.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2016 Booklist

Horn Book Review

In alternating narration, Topher, Brand, and Steve each reveals his unique and touching relationship with their beloved sixth-grade teacher, who is missing the class party for cancer treatment. To show their gratitude, the boys attempt a hospital visit carrying meaningful gifts...and chaos ensues. The journey is poignant without being overly sweet, hitting just the right balance of humor and sadness. (c) Copyright 2017. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Kirkus Book Review

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) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.