YaY! I loved this book! I have been dreading this book which has been in my desk drawer for an entire semester. I was so ignorant that I thought it would be some cheesy way to tell me how to be a better teacher. I was completely wrong. It is extremely cute, and the 'how-to-be-a-better-teacher' message was so indirect that it seemed to not have been the point of the book...it was just extremely entertaining. The point of the book is to show students that teachers are not all bad. I loved how Russell Culver was won over...transformed from a school-loathing rebel to an unlikely teacher's pet...by his big sister.
(Side note: I cannot understand, though, how at the age of fifteen he still did not know the difference between an attractive girl and a big girl. He sees his sister as this huge, loud girl, and the rest of the characters are completely taken with her looks. That's my only complaint, promise!)
In the beginning, Russell's metaphors for education are darkness, jail, torment; he wants the school to burn to the ground and be closed forever. The darkness only deepens when his big sister (Tansy) takes over as the new teacher; he plays pranks on her to discourage her. The middle of the book allows Russell to meet some characters (Glenn Tarbox) who see education as their only hope and way out of a completely backward hoosier lifestyle. Russell begins to see, in the lives of others, how education can be a positive path to success instead of a hindrance to his dreams. By the end of the book, Russell actually wants the school to succeed and he works hard to help Tansy get her provisional teaching license. The final transformation of Russell comes when Tansy gets in his face in the kitchen and tells him that she only took the teaching job to get him through the 8th grade. She then challenges him to finish high school and go to Purdue. She seals the challenge with a dose of guilt by telling him that their youngest brother, Lloyd, will only succeed in life if he has a great role model in Russell.
My favorite character....well, it's a toss up. I loved Mr. Culver. He was simple yet smart. He was in control without being a control freak. He got his point across to his children with subtlety and gentleness, and they took heed to his message even though they were rather roudy. I also loved the quirkiness of Aunt Maud. She is insecure and useless in many ways...she can't cook, she smokes, she is a chronic complainer, she is private to a fault....but she turns out to be the famous secret poet of the county. I also loved Charlie and Glenn for their love and adoration of Tansy. They both swallowed their pride and put themselves in an uncomfortable situation, on the recitation bench with a 6 year old, for love.
The most enjoyable part of the book for me was the accent with which the characters spoke. I love accents in everyday life, so of course I am going to love a book (and an author) who adds accents to the written text. It takes more time and effort, but it help to bring the book and the characters to life.
I would love to have my students read this book. I will encourage them to read it, but it is not something that can easily be tied to my Spanish curriculum.
