Special Note

In a laugh-out-loud novel about a boy discovering his own potential, a 13-year-old on the fast track to the juvenile detention center finds himself living in rural North Carolina with an outrageously eccentric family. Previously expelled from a long line of schools before coming to the Applewhites, Jake is left largely to his own devices, since the family doesn't believe in telling their charges what or when to study. "Quirky characters, from the cub reporter to the visiting guru, add to the offbeat humor. Terrific booktalk and read-aloud potential." - SLJ