Because of Mr. Terupt, Rob Buyea. What a gem of a taIe I stumbled upon while visiting Amazon. Seven very different fifth graders face their new teacher, Mr. Terupt, feeling they will manipulate and walk over his inexperience and naivety. Throughout the book, the short chapters jump from student to student revealing each personal story that many will be able to relate to. They clash, they collide and they mistreat one another and only Mr. Terupt seems to see the goodness in each one. A tragic day awaits them when misbehavior gets the better of them and their beloved teacher pays the price. As teachers, we will nod our heads, seeing the actions of what we know to be true in growing minds. I started the book, planning to read a few pages and found myself not able to put it down. As a tribute to teachers, this story is sweet and sad, making for one memorable story.