Because of Mr. Terupt follows a 5th grade class from Snow Hill Elementary in New England. It's "chapters" are events from the different perspectives of seven students, each with a distinct personality type. The stories thread is Mr. Terupt - their new, fifth grade teacher, and the effect he has on them.
What I didn't like: I was really turned off to the book because of the cast of characters and their labels: class clown, new girl, the brain, the queen bee, the slacker, the pushover, and the shy one. Then of course there's that special teacher that comes and changes their life ... la-de-dah. The set up was so corny - but the story gained a lot of strength, I suppose because of a dramatic central event. Kind of scripted - but I was sold on the story by the middle.
What I liked: The story brought tears to my eyes as each student went through major growth and change because of the central event (and according to the book, because of the teacher). This is my kind of book - the cathartic change an event brings - it was really beautiful. The characters were believable, and the insights into their thoughts and struggles, their silly logic and misperceptions - as well as their fears and concerns - it all inspired me to be a better teacher to the students I teach.
The most moving scene was reminiscent of Good Will Hunting - one of the most powerful moments when Robin Williams approached Matt Dameon with his thick file of abuse, waving it at him and says, "You know this? This ... It's not your fault."
Matt Dameon backs to the wall a bit, looks down and shakes his head trying to cooly and dismissively answer him, "I know."
Robin Williams takes a step towards him and says again, "It' not your fault." Matt Dameon pushes back, trying to throw off the emotional moment that is clearly crashing down - and Williams says it one more time, "It's not your fault." And Dameon bawls along with the whole movie theater and everyone who's ever suffered a trauma, loss or abuse.
That was a tangent - but relevant to the book, because a lot of the characters struggle with guilt - and there is a powerful turning point when visiting a special needs classroom for a celebration, an autistic student - sensing the trouble better than anyone else, confronted the perpetrating student and hollered, "Not your fault! Not your fault!" And this mantra didn't just end there - it became a theme to a few characters that they applied to their lives: it's not my fault that my dad left. It's not my fault that my brother died. Mom, it's not your fault that this happened.
Powerful stuff.
What I wish I read: Mr. Terupt's point of view maybe - it may have ruined the story, and probably isn't appropriate in this context - but I know how kids change adults as well.
Quotes:
"Invasive species are organism that are introduced into a new environment. Since they have nonnatural predators there, they thrive. They suck up all the resources, leaving nothing for the organisms that were there first. The native species suffer and die." (Sounds like American's trying to integrate anywhere)
Scene were the autistic boy, at his surprise going away party, immediately goes to Peter:
"James walked over to Peter and gave hime a hug that shattered (dollar word) his shield. Everybody stopped and watched. This was the first time any of us had really looked at Peter since the accident. WE had each made the choice to make him invisible. But now we saw him.
James finally let go and stepped back. He looked into Peter's eyes.
'Peter, not your fault. Not your fault.' James voice rose. 'Peter!' Now he yelled. 'Not your fault! Accident! Accident!'"
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