The Perfect Score

August 21, 2017
As he did with younger students in his Mr. Terupt books, Buyea takes readers into a sixth-grade classroom to follow five memorable students: Natalie, a rule-following future lawyer; Scott, a kid with brains, heart, and big ideas (that always seem to go south); Trevor, who acts tougher than he is; Gavin, a football enthusiast who struggles in school; and Randi, a state-ranked gymnast with loads of pressure at home. After their expected teacher moves away, they wind up with the elderly Mrs. Woods, whose no-nonsense style dates back to when their parents were in school, but whose love of books and underlying compassion wins them over. As the pressure to perform during state testing mounts, the five students reluctantly band together with a risky plan to ace them. Buyea gives his narrators clear voices and diverse backstories. The plot, however, plods along, pushed forward mostly by amusing mishaps (perpetrated by the irrepressible Scott) until the testing debacle late in the book. The students’ stories are compelling, and Buyea confidently mixes humor and heart, but the story lacks tension until the final chapters. Ages 9–12.

With each of its five narrators being voiced by a different actor, this story manages to remain engaging even while it takes a long time to build momentum. Abigail Revasch portrays Randi, a competitive gymnast whose mother micromanages her life. Robbie Daymond's Scott is well meaning, if a bit hyperactive and accident-prone. Trevor, who is desperate to avoid turning out like his abusive brother, is portrayed by Todd Haberkorn. The two featured characters of the production, Natalie and Gavin, are portrayed by Caitlin Davies and Ozzie Rodriguez. Natalie, an aspiring lawyer, speaks intentionally. Gavin, a football enthusiast with a learning disability, speaks slowly and thoughtfully. The story addresses complex issues and is sure to engage listeners. S.P. � AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine