Russell thinks Hominy Ridge School is sure to close when the town's teacher dies right before the starting date. He believes this will leave him free to pursue his own plans to join a harvesting team in the Dakotas with his best friend. Unforeseen circumstances save the school, and the new teacher instills new life in the lessons and leads the children in an unexpected and promising direction.

It has the same quirky humor as A Long Way from Chicago andA Year Down Yonder. It's set in a small Indiana town in 1904-near the turn of a century and at a time when drastic changes were heading their way. Peck's vivid depiction of peculiar events happening to ordinary people make his books outstandingly funny. You never know what will happen next.
RL=6th-YA