Book Review: Boss of the Whole Sixth Grade by Ann Herrick

Posted on July 16, 2017

Impressions

I took the day off today to be a sixth grader again. It was much more fun the second time around.

This first person narrative about life in the sixth grade is wonderful and enlightening. I don’t remember my 12^th year being so fun filled with drama and intrigue.

Spending time in the head of a bright intelligent and enthusiastic sixth grader….the immediate descriptive is wow.

There’s never a dull moment when the most important year of her life starts with a new teacher (who has eyes for mom), and a campaign for class presidency garners challenges of new friends and urgency of purpose. And to top it all off after a year’s absence Greta’s wayward father returns home. How much can a girl take? A lot when you have smart friends and a quick imagination.

Growing into adulthood is one big learning curve. But Greta the Great learned how to tackle problematic moments that required honesty, awareness, and love. The author created a charming telling wrapped around the ordinaries of being in the 6^th grade.

I so love it when an author surprises.

Story/Plot/Conflict

Assuming responsibility for what Greta thought was most important became a turning point in her life. The freedom of being an individual and fighting for what she deemed right led this sixth grader on a learning curve that reached beyond the classroom.

All things difficult about coming of age begin to revolve around a school project. Greta comes to understand that even when life throws you unexpected curves, a loving, creative mother, clever friends, lessons in honesty and integrity blended with an innate ability to think outside the box wins the day.

But achieving good outcomes means defeating the specter of the unexpected. A mishap preventing a school project’s reveal ignites a happy whirlwind of discovered friendships and a renewal of commitments.