Pierre François: 5th Grade Mishaps

Way, Way More Than Expected

The blurbs for this book make it sound like a "problem" book, (bedwetting), with a few standard middle school cliches, ( a stinky chair, dissecting owl vomit, a spelling bee), and an unbelievable kid who's too glib and insightful for his age. Well, please excuuuuuse me for being such a sourpuss. This book was delightful across the board.

Our hero Pierre often mentions his fictional hero Calvin from the "Calvin and Hobbes" comics, and it turns out that this book has very much the same vibe as the "Calvin and Hobbes" series. Pierre and his classmates are basically decent and even kind kids who have their naughty and manic sides. At one point Pierre observes that all of his classmates were "nice" from kindergarten through fourth grade, and then in fifth grade everything changed and got weirder and more complicated and less predictable. And that's what you get in this book - an arch, sly, wise, and very funny dissection of why ten year olds are insane. The book is generous, affectionate and charming.

We pretty much follow Pierre from day to day and share in his routine and his tragic downs and manic ups. Pierre has two best friends, believable classmates, realistic teachers, a secret mini-crush on a new girl, a grumpy class "bully" who is not a psychotic monster but just a bit of a bully, and so on. It is a completely believable cast of characters. A recurring line in the Calvin books is "the days are just packed", and that's what you get here - class, recess, lunch time, hallway conversations, class projects are just packed with funny, touching and authentic moments.

A few things worth noting. Pierre is an interesting protagonist. He's little with long curly hair and delicate features and is often mistaken for a girl. He's half French and has a certain savoir faire and Gaelic sense of humor. This is an odd little package for a hero in a book about a Texas middle school, but it works. As to the bedwetting - it's a problem that he knows he'll grow out of but it's very annoying and complicates sleepovers. He deals with it. Regarding parents - Pierre has two of the most supportive, understanding, amused and grown up parents I've ever seen in a middle grade book. They stay in the background but provide context and foundation for the action. An unusual and very positive aspect of the book.

And of great importance. This book is very funny and very kind and, actually, compassionate. There are great throwaway lines, bits of dialogue, and set pieces. Many scenes are introduced with warm and knowing setups. Pierre and his pals and his classmates are very likable but still realistic and sometimes nutsy kids. And, the kids are fair and kind, with the book ending on a particularly touching moment. Even the kids on the fringes, who are maybe a little odd or special, are treated fairly.

Bottom line? This is one of those great books that has a lot to offer an adult who likes good, funny, insightful middle grade books and it offers huge entertainment value to a kid reader who will see the humor and truth in its pages. A very nice find indeed.

(Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)

This is a thoroughly delightful book aimed at younger readers. My son very much enjoyed reading this with me for his bedtime reading ritual. The mishaps Pierre experiences were much enjoyed and the overall tone of the book led to many "moral" discussions about personal responsibility, compassion etc. So, all in all it was not only a fun read but also a "character-building"experience. Well-done!

My thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a really funny book. I think anyone who enjoys Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Big Nate, Captain Underpants, Secret Coders, Science Comics, Mighty Jack, Pashmina, Little Tails and Pico Bogue may enjoy this book. It is a mix of comic and text that provides some great laughs and very amusing 5th grade hijinks. I really enjoyed it and this book made me laugh, which is what I like in my comics - to make me laugh or to make me think.