Kirkus
Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Tales of a fourth grade ne’er-do-well. It seems that young Jordan is stuck in a never-ending string of bad luck. Sure, no one’s perfect (except maybe goody-two-shoes William Feranek), but Jordan can’t seem to keep his attention focused on the task at hand. Try as he may, things always go a bit sideways, much to his educators’ chagrin. But Jordan promises himself that fourth grade will be different. As the year unfolds, it does prove to be different, but in a way Jordan couldn’t possibly have predicted. This humorous memoir perfectly captures the square-peg-in-a-round-hole feeling many kids feel and effectively heightens that feeling with comic situations and a splendid villain. Jordan’s teacher, Mrs. Fisher, makes an excellent foil, and the book’s 1970s setting allows for her cruelty to go beyond anything most contemporary readers could expect. Unfortunately, the story begins to run out of steam once Mrs. Fisher exits. Recollections spiral, losing their focus and leading to a more “then this happened” and less cause-and-effect structure. The anecdotes are all amusing and Jordan is an endearing protagonist, but the book comes dangerously close to wearing out its welcome with sheer repetitiveness. Thankfully, it ends on a high note, one pleasant and hopeful enough that readers will overlook some of the shabbier qualities. Jordan is White and Jewish while there is some diversity among his classmates; Mrs. Fisher is White. Though a bit loose around the edges, a charmer nevertheless. (Memoir. 8-12) Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Horn Book
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Young Jordan hasn't always had the best luck when it comes to teachers, but he's fairly sure his fourth-grade teacher Mrs. Fisher loathes him. His mother gets the same impression during their parent-teacher conference, but things come to a head when Mrs. Fisher slaps him. He transfers to another school on Staten Island, one that is bigger and more diverse -- he's not the only Jewish kid in his class -- and his new teacher, Miss Tuff, unlocks Jordan's creative potential. A strong reader with a love of comics and music, Jordan discovers magic in Susan Cooper's The Dark Is Rising and aspires to be a writer one day. That day comes sooner than he thinks when Miss Tuff invites him to write and perform skits for the class, and his comedic talent shines bright. There are genuine moments of hilarity throughout Sonnenblick's (Notes from the Midnight Driver, rev. 9/06; The Secret Sheriff of Sixth Grade, rev. 9/17; and others) memoir: pranks with friends, plenty of self-deprecation, and a running pet-snake situation. These are balanced with some pathos as well: health problems, tension between his parents, and big events in the background (the nuclear meltdown at Three Mile Island, the American Airlines Flight 191 crash, the Iranian Revolution). Sonnenblick's trademark blend of wit and sensitivity mines even the darker elements for humor and imbues this memoir with a sense of hope and optimism. (c) Copyright 2023. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Kirkus
Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Tales of a fourth grade neer-do-well.It seems that young Jordan is stuck in a never-ending string of bad luck. Sure, no ones perfect (except maybe goody-two-shoes William Feranek), but Jordan cant seem to keep his attention focused on the task at hand. Try as he may, things always go a bit sideways, much to his educators chagrin. But Jordan promises himself that fourth grade will be different. As the year unfolds, it does prove to be different, but in a way Jordan couldnt possibly have predicted. This humorous memoir perfectly captures the square-peg-in-a-round-hole feeling many kids feel and effectively heightens that feeling with comic situations and a splendid villain. Jordans teacher, Mrs. Fisher, makes an excellent foil, and the books 1970s setting allows for her cruelty to go beyond anything most contemporary readers could expect. Unfortunately, the story begins to run out of steam once Mrs. Fisher exits. Recollections spiral, losing their focus and leading to a more then this happened and less cause-and-effect structure. The anecdotes are all amusing and Jordan is an endearing protagonist, but the book comes dangerously close to wearing out its welcome with sheer repetitiveness. Thankfully, it ends on a high note, one pleasant and hopeful enough that readers will overlook some of the shabbier qualities. Jordan is White and Jewish while there is some diversity among his classmates; Mrs. Fisher is White.Though a bit loose around the edges, a charmer nevertheless. (Memoir. 8-12) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.