The Best Man
by Richard Peck
Peck. R. (2016). The best man. New York, NY: Dial Books for Young Readers.
Archer is the best man in his uncle's wedding, who just happens to be marrying his new student teacher; another man. Of course before he can tell this story, he has to take you back to the first wedding he was in... where he ripped his pants, had to walk down the aisle exposing his bottom, and met his very best friend Lynette. Archer recounts his years in elementary school through a humorous narrative that all students will be able to relate to. There are the bullies, the teachers (both the great and not so much), the student from another country, oh, and the incident that brought out the SWAT team and local news media. The story progresses through the sixth grade, which used to be part of the elementary school, but has now been moved into the high school. We see much of the expected; growth spurts, attitude changes, and questioning of the kind of person they want to be. This Texas Bluebonnet Award Nominee would be most enjoyed by students in grades 4-6.
