Melody DeFields McMillan

Addison is a grade five student who decides to present a speech on things that aren't there, such as black holes, gravity, atoms, and Tiffany's brain. One of the most enjoyable aspects of this Silver Birch Express nominee is Addison's strong voice. Here's a sample:
"It's hard to be nice to Tiffany. My brain tells me to try, but sometimes my mouth just says what it wants to. It's like my mouth is its own boss. I'm kind of proud of that. I mean, when it comes right down to it, sometimes a big mouth comes in more handy than a big brain." pg. 47
The other great thing about this book is that Addison very clearly struggles with school subjects such as writing and math. He manages to write only six lines for his speech and intends to just ad lib the rest. He also manages to mess up multiplying recipe ingredients by three, and he thinks soy milk and soy sauce are close enough to be substituted. Addison reminds me strongly of reluctant writers in elementary school classrooms. I think kids will really be able to relate to Addison and will enjoy this book.… (plus d'informations)