The Waffler
Gr 3-5-Decision-making is an agonizing ordeal for Monty Greene, but it does not become the bane of his existence until his new fourth-grade teacher, Mrs. Tuttle, decides to accelerate the process for him by branding him with three "decision-aids" (Band-Aids). These are applied to his arm every day for the entire class to see, earning him the derisive nickname, "Waffles." Monty steels himself for the worst school year ever. Reprieve comes in the unexpected form of four kindergarteners-his official Reading Buddy, Leo Schwarz III, and three unofficial reading buddies who missed out on the assignments. Monty empathizes with the three who were left out and spends his recesses reading to them. When Leo moves, Mrs. Tuttle's final, piercing injustice is the announcement that Monty can only pick one of his remaining buddies to join him at the grand "Culminating Event." Monty's resentment finally blossoms into open rebellion when he boldly invites all three to join him. This is decision-making at its finest, and the youngster suddenly finds himself in the role of hero with Mrs. Tuttle cast as the villain. Monty's world is populated with very real, well-developed characters, and his own evolution is almost imperceptible, which makes it all the more enjoyable.-Kathy Cherniavsky, Ridgefield Library, CTα(c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.