Ms. Bixby's Last Day

Starred review from April 25, 2016
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.

April 1, 2016
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)

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Starred review from September 1, 2016

Gr 4-6-In a school filled with instructors who are either Zombies (old and boring), Caff-Adds (jittery), Dungeon Masters (cruel), or Noobs (overachievers), Ms. Bixby stands out as one of the Good Ones. Topher, Steve, and Brand all have their reasons to treasure their sixth grade teacher. Readers find out early on that their beloved Ms. B. has cancer and has to leave school immediately. The boys come up with an elaborate plan to honor her. In a pilgrimage as involved as Dorothy going to see the Wizard of Oz, the "Nerd Patrol" ditch school and travel to Ms. B.'s hospital in hopes of throwing her the farewell party of her dreams complete with cheesecake, wine, and Beethoven. In alternating chapters, we learn just why it is so necessary for each boy to partake in this adventure. Topher, the artistic one, hasn't been valued much by his distracted family. His self-worth is bolstered when he realizes Ms. B. has lovingly kept a file of all of his drawings. Brand's dad, who is disabled, is dependent on his son. When Ms. B. notices the stress Brand is under, she takes him on weekly shopping dates, providing nurturing time while they get groceries. Ms. B. defends brainy Steve when his overly strict dad complains about his grades and unfairly compares him to his perfect sister. During the immensely humorous and touching journey, the boys discover their own bravery and the strength gained through true friendship. VERDICT This story provides a full-spectrum, emotionally satisfying experience that will have readers laughing, crying, and everything in between. As Topher would say, this is one frawesome (freaking awesome) book.-Diane McCabe, John Muir Elementary, Santa Monica, CA

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from April 1, 2016
Grades 5-7 *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 naivete 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.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)