Review | Carter Avery’s Tricky Fourth Grade Year

Summary: Carter Avery’s Tricky Fourth Grade Year

When hyperactive kid CJ gets into his fourth-grade class, he’s terrified of Ms. Crane, his new teacher, thanks to all the rumors he’s heard about her and the huge red mark on her face. But Ms. Crane turns out to be refreshingly different than he expected. She’s nice to him and doesn’t get frustrated when he interrupts, blurts answers, or can’t sit still. So when he discovers that some teachers are trying to get Ms. Crane to leave the school, CJ decides to stand up for her.

The Good

This book was a delight from start to finish! CJ shows classic signs of ADHD and has left many a past teacher frustrated, so when he finds out that his fourth-grade teacher will be Ms. Olivia Krane (aka the Owl), he’s very worried. This is a slice-of-life story that takes us through CJ’s entire fourth grade year, starting from the summer after third grade. When I realized where we were starting off, I was a bit worried about whether it would get boring, but the author keeps readers pretty entertained right to the end of the story.

I loved watching Ms. Krane and CJ form a warm relationship and seeing the impact of her dignifying CJ on his classmates. Her treating him with patience and kindness begins to rub off on the other students, allowing CJ to form an unlikely friendship with a student he’d been sure was his sworn enemy. Young readers will learn about a port wine stain and this is sure to foster empathy as they meet people with visible differences. I loved that CJ didn’t need to be afraid to ask about Ms. Krane’s mark and she was open about discussing it with the kids.

Finally, this is a true story of found family and community and CJ’s warm home atmosphere grows to include several other characters in the story who just happen to need family at that moment. The audiobook was phenomenal and just brings CJ’s thoughts to life in a funny way that younger middle grade readers will love.

Content Notes

Here are some specifics to know about the content.

Content Warnings

• Death: Brynn and CJ’s parents died in an accident when CJ was a baby.
• Alcohol/substance abuse: None
• Sexual content: Torrie and Brynn have an encounter with a scary guy and CJ’s grandma has to pretend her umbrella is a rifle.
• Religious content: None
• Language: None
• Violence: None

Diversity

• Ethnic: Main characters cued white
• Sexual orientation: None
• Disability: Marcus, a side character, is blind and uses a helper dog, Susie. Ms. Crane has a port wine stain, which CJ hilariously calls a “part jelly stain”

Recommended for ages: 9+

Good for kids who like:

• Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
• Stories about good teachers
• Books with ADHD representation
• Stories about alternative families (sperm donors, grandparent guardians, etc.)
• Funny books

Publisher Details

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