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| Mr. Buyea today |
1. Who were you as a middle grade reader? What books did you enjoy that you would recommend to today’s students?
As a kid, I wasn’t a reader. Never. Of course that has changed now. Every opportunity I get to talk to students, I stress the importance of being a reader—and I spend time sharing lots of book recommendations. A few recent favs: Rez Ball by Byron Graves and Hidden Truths by Elly Swartz.
2. What inspired you to bring back Peter Jacobs, who as a student had a special love of challenging rookie teachers, as a student teacher? Were any of his experiences based on your own?
I had the idea for a student teacher character for quite a while. I have great memories from my time as a student teacher, and I had the privilege of working with several in my classroom when I was the teacher. I wanted the student teacher character to be wonderful, but didn’t know how to make the story different from my Mr. Terupt books. When it hit me that the student teacher could be Mr. T’s protégé, I couldn’t wait to get started. Making it different was no longer a concern. What an awesome idea!
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| The author as a young man |
3. Many of your books, including the Mr. Terupt and Perfect Score series, present the story from different points of view. What draws you to this format?
Truth is, that was how the idea for Mr. Terupt first came to me, different students taking turns, talking about their first day of school. I’d never tried writing anything in this style before, not until the idea hit me. My readers (and publisher) have really liked the multiple voices, so when it came time for The Perfect Score, they wanted more of it. To be clear, I do enjoy writing and telling stories in this way very much. It works for me.
4. I’m not a fan of killing off middle grade parents, because it’s so much more interesting to deal with annoying and imperfect parents. Your characters all struggle with different parenting styles. Why did you decide to keep the parents alive rather than killing them off?
4. I’m not a fan of killing off middle grade parents, because it’s so much more interesting to deal with annoying and imperfect parents. Your characters all struggle with different parenting styles. Why did you decide to keep the parents alive rather than killing them off?
Never thought of killing them off. Not anything I wanted to do. I spend a lot of time thinking about how characters can change. My stories are positive and hopeful. But that doesn’t mean I won’t ever whack a parent in the future. Depends on the story.
5. Your details about the classroom are so vivid and realistic. Tell us a little about your history in the classroom.
5. Your details about the classroom are so vivid and realistic. Tell us a little about your history in the classroom.
I loved it! I challenged myself and my students with lots of on-going projects. There were plenty laughs. And tremendous fun at recess, which was where great bonding often happened—and not with only the “sporty” kids.
6. Because of Mr. Terupt came out in 2010, well before the rise of Social Emotional Learning and the trend of “connecting with students”. What are your feelings about teachers bringing emotional vulnerability to the classroom? I’m older, so tend to err on the side of more distant and professional relationships with students.
6. Because of Mr. Terupt came out in 2010, well before the rise of Social Emotional Learning and the trend of “connecting with students”. What are your feelings about teachers bringing emotional vulnerability to the classroom? I’m older, so tend to err on the side of more distant and professional relationships with students.
Mr. Terupt, Mrs. Woods, Mr. Jacobs – one thing they all have in common that makes them special is the relationships they develop with their students. “Connecting with students,” as you say. I’m a fan.
7. It occurred to me this summer that I’ve never seen any teachers suffering consequences of poor test scores, even though testing still looms large. Have you? What would you say to teachers who might not feel comfortable with projects like the ones in the book?
7. It occurred to me this summer that I’ve never seen any teachers suffering consequences of poor test scores, even though testing still looms large. Have you? What would you say to teachers who might not feel comfortable with projects like the ones in the book?
You do you.
8. I ADORE biography projects, so was delighted to see Mr. J.’s “big head” project. I have dressed up as Ruth Wakefield and Philo T. Farnsworth! What historical figures have you dressed up as? Do you have any other favorite projects?
8. I ADORE biography projects, so was delighted to see Mr. J.’s “big head” project. I have dressed up as Ruth Wakefield and Philo T. Farnsworth! What historical figures have you dressed up as? Do you have any other favorite projects?
The projects woven into my stories are all favorites of mine – and most I did at one time or another. As far as dressing up goes, one of my better moments gets mentioned in Because of Our Student Teacher.
9. You apparently have some big feelings about college supervisors. Dr. Carlson is not a sympathetic character at all. Are any of her antics based on real life?
9. You apparently have some big feelings about college supervisors. Dr. Carlson is not a sympathetic character at all. Are any of her antics based on real life?
No. And I haven’t had any negative experiences with college supervisors. A story needs a bad guy. I did have a certain someone in mind while writing these scenes, so that was fun for me.
10. I’ve been waiting 16 years to ask this: when will you write an older middle grade book that centers around WRESTLING? There are so few books on the topic, and you would bring such great details to such a book!
10. I’ve been waiting 16 years to ask this: when will you write an older middle grade book that centers around WRESTLING? There are so few books on the topic, and you would bring such great details to such a book!
You’ve been waiting to ask, and I’ve been thinking about it all that time. Stay tuned…
September 8, 2026 by Delacorte Press
E ARC provided by the publisher
Mr. Dwyer's class started out well, but as the fifth grade year progresses, he has become quiet and withdrawn, and lessons aren't as fun. This encourages Toby to be more of a prankster, makes Lenny more anxious, pitches Derek into more daydreaming about baseball, and concerns even exemplary students like the competing Dakota and Harper. When Peter Jacobs is forced on the class as a student teacher (whose previous placement fell through), the class is wary. Toby suspects, after eavesdropping, that Mr. Dwyer's son was involved in the same car accident that his older brother Teddy was. This is serious stuff, and Teddy is acting much like Mr. Dwyer and is no fun. Mr. J. plays games with the kids att recess even though Mr. Dwyer cautions against it, has innovative teaching methods, and really connects with this kids while not letting them get away with anything. This isn't enough for his college advisor, who has a disastrous observation that includes a crayfish being flung on top of her head, and Mr. J. is in danger of getting a bad grade. As the term progresses, we see the children struggle with a variety of issues, including Derek's parent's divorce, Lenny's father's verbal abuse, Ava's overload of after school activities that don't interest her, and Dakota's parents putting a lot of pressure on her. When a big biography project and a story telling project are assigned, all of these issues combine and create problems. Will the fifth grade class, as well as its teachers, make it to the end of the year?
Readers who have followed Buyea's Because of Mr. Terupt series will recognize Peter Jacobs as a pivotal character from those books, and it's completely realistic to see hi return to his school as a student teacher. We have had several of my students return to my school, and even had several hired to teach! As always, Buyea shows keen insight to what goes on in the classroom and show how the interpersonal dynamics are often colored by behind-the-scenes issues. I loved the "young" Mr. Dwyer (he's about ten years younger than I am!) who is having a difficult year, and especially appreciated that he was able to find his way back to a happier place. There are lots of heartwarming moments, and again, it's completely realistic that Mr. Dwyer also taught Lenny's father! I don't want to give away the details of what the students are teachers are going through; you will want to read this one yourself. It's perfect for a class read aloud, although Mr. J. favored Rodman Philbrick's 2004 The Young Man and the Sea, which I completely missed!
Readers who have followed Buyea's Because of Mr. Terupt series will recognize Peter Jacobs as a pivotal character from those books, and it's completely realistic to see hi return to his school as a student teacher. We have had several of my students return to my school, and even had several hired to teach! As always, Buyea shows keen insight to what goes on in the classroom and show how the interpersonal dynamics are often colored by behind-the-scenes issues. I loved the "young" Mr. Dwyer (he's about ten years younger than I am!) who is having a difficult year, and especially appreciated that he was able to find his way back to a happier place. There are lots of heartwarming moments, and again, it's completely realistic that Mr. Dwyer also taught Lenny's father! I don't want to give away the details of what the students are teachers are going through; you will want to read this one yourself. It's perfect for a class read aloud, although Mr. J. favored Rodman Philbrick's 2004 The Young Man and the Sea, which I completely missed!
Any objections I have to these books are purely personal. I've struggled through a very public difficult during my career, but never let it affect my teaching. You just... can't. Of course, I also don't believe that teachers have the kind of poetic, huge impact on students' lives that Buyea depicts so beautifully. It's just one of those things that I can't, in my heart of hearts, envision. When I retire, no one will care!
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