It's just hard to be Carter Avery and he is very well aware of this fact. Progressing through elementary school, Carter is also aware that he is the kid no teacher wants on their class lists. He has a long history of not getting a long with his teacher and is horrified to learn Ms. Krane (AKA "The Owl") will be his 4th grade teacher. She has a scary port wine birthmark on her face and all the parents are talking about her behind her back. During 4th grade, Carter learns about the true characteristics of an owl and of Ms. Krane who soon becomes the teacher who reaches Carter where HE is at and addresses his needs.

Rob Buyea is becoming an icon in children's literature. I felt he had a brief hiatus after the classic "Mr. Terupt" series but he has made a strong rebound with "The Daredevils" showing up on state reading award lists and now this title. This one is closer to the "Mr. Terupt" book and reminds me of Andrew Clements' titles that deal with the hard things about being a kid in school. I hope this title gains traction and follows "Daredevils" on state reading award lists, and I hope teachers pick this title up as well. It was very insightful getting a peak inside the brain of a high-energy kid who has faced a lot of trauma and simply doesn't have the ability to be still and quiet. Educators who read this will be able to identify the "Carters" in their own classrooms and hopefully gain empathy and strategies to reach their kiddos like Ms. Krane reached Carter. Solid elementary-age title that should be on library shelves.

Once again, Rob Buyea delivers! As a teacher, this was a great book to read, heading into a new school year. Buyea creates teacher characters who are empathetic, talented, caring, reflective, and flexible. This was the perfect time for me to reflect on the type of teacher I want to be for my students. This is a story of acceptance and student agency.

I can’t believe I haven’t heard much buzz about this awesome book! Life isn’t easy for Carter, a fourth grader with ADHD and learning differences. He’s heard rumors about his new teacher, but the two of them are the perfect match. She helps him realize his potential and that being taught in the way he needs can make school fun. Their relationship and the things he learns about being a friend make this book a real gem.

There are a lot of things about this book which, as a parent, I liked, and some things I questioned. I read this to my 9yo fourth grader who is lower-support AuADHD and it was great to have representation of a kid who very obviously is in need of at least ADHD support. The writing style is first person pov from Carter so we hear all his sometimes immature thoughts, but he is ultimately an amazing friend and student.

We are an extremely privileged family so it was very jarring to read about Carter's previous teachers just giving up on him, and not afraid to tell him. The premise for why his fourth-grade teacher Ms Krane is not well liked seemed very closed minded and dated - like it would be an expected issue in 1950 but seems so out of place in the 21st century. But I have to admit there may be communities today where choosing motherhood in the way she does is very much taboo. There's also an issue with Brynn (Carter's older sister) and her friend Torrie over a boy. Not that they are fighting over him, but that he is not a nice person and puts Torrie in danger. I wasn't sure my 9yo understood what was going on there, and the older characters seemed to want to shield Carter from the full truth, which seemed appropriate, although I was holding my breath during the climax argument hoping it didn't actually go to a dark place.

Anyway, there is a LOT going on in this book - everyone has their own side struggle, it seemed. But there is very much a happy ending because of Carter and what a genuinely good person he is.

Carter Avery is the student that never gets to be a main character in books and he finally is! I love that his uniqueness is handled with honesty. The characters are lovable and I just fell in love with them and rooted for Carter and his Gram the whole time!

Author Rob Buyea brings a lively fourth grader to life with this amusing story about a boy navigating school, friendships, and all that comes with
being a kid. His character's voice and energy pop off the page with his questions and honesty. I definitely recommend his latest book!

When Carter discovers he has Ms. Olivia Krane as his fourth-grade teacher, he knows this is bad. No teacher has ever liked him, and there’s no chance that the new teacher will be any different. Until Ms. Krane takes a different approach. She finds positive ways for Carter to use his extra energy. But when things finally begin to look up for Carter, he discovers some adults want Ms. Krane to resign. But this would ruin everything!

Thank you NetGalley & Penguin Random House for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

My kids loved this book! It's super cute and wholesome and kept their attention the whole time during reading. I highly recommend this book and will purchase a physical copy.

While I appreciated what this book was trying to do, I felt like it fell flat. Carter is a 4th grader with, it seems likely, ADHD. He’s easily the most disliked student at his school as his behavior frustrates both teachers and fellow students. However Carter himself seems blissfully indifferent to his status, although her certainly appreciates it when his new teacher proves herself to be very adept at creating learning situations in which he can thrive. However Carter’s teacher is also something of an outsider, disliked because of a facial birthmark and the fact that she has chosen to become a single parent through artificial insemination. As far as ostracizing criteria go, these seem extremely dated and more likely to feature in a book from the 70s or 80s than one published in 2024. Many of the adult characters are black and white caricatures, which doesn’t help the sense of the story being dated while Carter himself seems far, far younger than a fourth grader. There’s also a sudden and unexpected side plot about domestic violence/coercion that is randomly resolved with a rifle, then ever mentioned again. The plot overall is also oddly paced, stretching from the summer before fourth grade until January, with lots of seemingly random plot points thrown up and then forgotten about.

Rob Buyea is a former fourth-grade teacher which is why he is so great at writing authentic middle grade stories. I think every teacher has had a student like Carter Avery. He blurts out in class and he is busy. But when he ends up in Mrs. Krane’s class, the teacher that he has heard is super mean, everything changes. Mrs. Krane has a special way of working with kids. She even sticks up for him when Missy Gruber is rude to him. Throughout the story teachers and parents believed in Carter. I loved how the bus driver was one of Carter’s closest friends.
This story is a testament to how important building relationships is for students, especially the hard ones.

I loved this book! Carter is such a well rounded character and following him through the school year with Ms. Krane was a joy. We all need a teacher who believes in us and takes the time to understand.

Readers are absolutely going to fall in love with Carter and his view of the world. Though his impulsivity and lack of social awareness are never labeled, readers who struggle with the same experiences will automatically connect with Carter and his huge heart. When his teacher—reputed to hate kids—shows up with a nontraditional pregnancy and a not-so-hidden love for kids, Carter quickly becomes her strongest supporter and advocate. This is a book both kids and adults will love.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-ARC.

Rob Buyea long ago mastered the middle grade novel, and this is no exception. This book does a great job reminding all of us that the right teacher can make a world of difference, and learning to self-advocate can be someone's most powerful tool. I can't wait for students to read this one.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. A great story of finding friendship in unlikely places, not judging a book by its cover, and that intelligence comes in many different packages. I enjoyed Carter's growth and the growth of several other characters throughout the book. The adults around Carter demonstrate deep empathy and acceptance and it's a lovely story.

Another great one from Rob Buyea! I loved this book and the precious Carter Avery. I think most teachers have known a student like Carter. I love that he finally got a teacher like Ms. Krane who found ways to let him be himself. This is an important book for both adults and for students.

I loved this book. As a teacher, anytime anyone writes about students, I feel like I can always learn something. I loved Carter and have employed many of the same techniques his teacher did in keeping him engaged and on task. I think that students who loved the Mr. Terupt series will enjoy this book as well. I hope this is not the last we hear of Carter Avery. (Rob---hint, hint!!)

Such an incredible book about the power of believing in someone and in second chances. Carter’s profile would indicate he has trouble in school, and when he gets Ms Krane as his fourth grade teacher, he’s convinced this year will be like all other years. However, he soon sees there’s more than meets the eye with Ms Krane. But some people are not happy with her “liberal” ways and try to make trouble for her. Will Carter’s finally going well year be over?
A must-read!

E ARC provided by Netgalley

Carter Avery is THAT student. The one who rockets around the elementary classroom when the teacher needs everyone to sit down. The kid who has no filter. The smart aleck who takes the teacher's chair when told to take an available seat. All of his teachers agree, and he knows all of the staff in the office because he spends so much time there. He has a very supportive grandmother, who is raising him and his high school aged sister Brynn after the death of their parents, but Carter hasn't gotten the support he has needed. That is, until Olivia Krane shows up at his school. When the third graders meet their new teachers on the last day of school, Carter is worried, because he's heard that Ms. Krane is super mean. But... she isn't. She does tell him to act in different ways, but doesn't mind when he sits in her chair. She even sticks up for him when the snooty Missy Gerber is mean. Carter confides in his bus driver that maybe "the Owl" isn't as mean as everyone has said. After a summer of swimming lessons, baking cookies, going to the library, and visiting a local farm with his grandmother, Carter is ready for the first day of school. It takes a little adjustment, but Ms. Krane is kind and supportive, and also shares with Carter than it would be helpful if he used kind words in her classroom because she is pregnant, and she wants her baby to be surrounded by pleasant things. It helps that she lets Carter move around as long as he isn't bothering others, even if it bothers Missy Gerber from all the way across the room, and she even lets him use a dictation device, called the Dragon, to record his stories, and then revise and edit them on the computer. The device is in the office, which means he sometimes overhears things he shouldn't. For instance, he hears that Ms. Krane's pregnancy is "artificial" and also that she is "liberal". He asks Mr. Wilson about these things, but has to get answers from his grandmother and Brynn. Ms. Krane isn't married, but having a baby, and some members of the community are upset, including Missy Gerber's mother. Fortunately, the school district is supportive of Ms. Krane. As the year progresses, the class has all manner of interesting projects, including a visit to a farm and chicks to hatch. Mason, a blind man whom Carter met at the summer reading program, is invited to the classroom with his dog, so that kids can read to the golden retriever. Carter even invites people in his life whom he enjoys to Thanksgiving, and Mr. Wilson (and his wife), Mason, and Ms. Krane all have an excellent holiday. When Ms. Krane isn't in school after break, Carter is worried, especially since the substitute is a hard line, ex-military guy named Lieutenant Boss. He doesn't understand Carter's ways, but after a while the two reach an agreement.Missy has been pulled out and homeschooled by her mother, which is unfortunate because she and Carter manage to become friends. Ms. Krane even meets with Gram and Carter for breakfast so that she can reassure him that she and her new baby, Oliver, are doing okay, but because Oliver was premature, he needs to stay in the hospital for a while. The substitute changes some of his ways, and the class prepares for Ms. Krane's return. The party is successful, and Carter even makes a medal for Lt. Boss. The best news is that Gram will be caring for baby Oliver, and Ms. Krane will be able to return to the classroom.
Strengths: Buyea's experience in the classroom is always evident in his excellent fiction, and he writes even more successfully from one point of view. (Both the Because of Mr. Terupt and The Perfect Score (2017) series have multiple voices.) Carter's voice is very strong, and his energy comes through on the page. He tries very hard to keep his impulsive behavior in check, but he can't always do it. He's not a bad kid, and the teachers have not understood him well enough to deal with his behavior. I loved all of the caring adults in Carter's world who see the good in him. It's also good to see that Ms. Krane's attention helps change Carter's behavior, but also the way his classmates see him, and having their support further improves his behavior. This is definitely a feel good story, where the world isn't perfect, but people are generally kind, or see the error of their ways if they are not. I'd love to see more characters in middle grade literature like Carter, because there are a ton of them in the real world.
Weaknesses: Pennypacker's Summer of the Gypsy Moths (2012) is a little dark for fourth grade. I've never looked at Febreeze the same way since I read it. I also found it somewhat surprising that anyone in the community cared about the artificial insemination. We have a teacher in my building who has a son who's almost twenty, and her position was never challenged, even though her methods were no secret.
What I really think: This is a "heart print" book, like many of Buyea's titles, that will be very much loved by elementary teachers. There is a sub plot with Brynn's friend who was hanging out with a boy who is no good for her, and that, combined with wrestling, could be Buyea's next book. That one, I would buy; this was just slightly too young for my middle school readers.

Being a mom to two boys like Carter Avery, this book made me long for every teacher who understands the kids who are so often misunderstood. Carter’s year is tricky, just as the title says but it’s not the negative, always in trouble fear I had starting out! Ms. Krane is the teacher everyone needs and Carter Avery is the friend everyone needs! Another AMAZING story by Rob Buyea!

I received a eARC of this book to read and review it. Thank you for the opportunity!

Carter has had a hard time with school. He's impulsive, has no filter, paces, spins, and struggles with writing. When he's assigned to Ms Krane, teacher who has a reputation as "the owl", who sees and knows everything, he anticipates the worst.

But, Ms. Krane shows that she understands Carter, in a way most other adults don't. She gives him opportunities to show his strengths, and opportunities to move. She connects him with adaptive technology that helps him get his ideas on paper. And she provides project based instruction that allows his classmates to see how smart he really is.

However, not everyone likes Ms Krane. She's having a baby via artificial insemination, and some of the parents, and even teachers, have trouble with the idea and start a petition. Carter HAS to show that Ms, Krane is a great teacher...but how?

This is a book that does a great job of showing how a neurodivergent kid feels like on the inside, and how an adult can make all the difference in the world-and so can kids. May every Carter have a Ms, Krane, and may every Ms, Krane have a Carter


This is an excellent book which belongs in libraries and school classrooms. It would be great as a unit study. And I am definitely adding it to the list for my Little Free Library!