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eBook Category: Children's Fiction
eBook Description: When Larry Lovitt spies his new teacher he gets hit with the crush of a lifetime. He's determined to win the third-grade Super Student award Ms. Allen is offering to the class. Between Larry imagining himself as a superhero and the antics of his friends, Joel and Spike, his chances for a pizza dinner with his teacher seem remote. Then Latessa Weber-Williams, the smartest kid in class, tries for the award too. Larry soon finds himself engaged in a battle that not only shows his true superhero character, but also reveals a side of himself he didn't know existed.

eBook Publisher: The Fiction Works, Published: http://www.fictionworks.com, 2004
Fictionwise Release Date: April 2004

1 Reader Ratings:

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Available eBook Formats [MultiFormat - What's this?]: eReader (PDB) [71 KB] , ePub (EPUB) [48 KB] , Rocket/REB1100 (RB) [45 KB] , Adobe Acrobat (PDF) [184 KB] , Palm Doc (PDB) [48 KB] , Microsoft Reader (LIT) [85 KB] , Franklin eBookMan (FUB) [112 KB] , hiebook (KML) [146 KB] , Sony Reader (LRF) [75 KB] , iSilo (PDB) [40 KB] , Mobipocket (PRC) [51 KB] , Kindle Compatible (MOBI) [92 KB] , OEBFF Format (IMP) [71 KB]
Words: 15232
Reading time: 43-60 min.
Microsoft Reader (LIT) Format: Printing DISABLED, Read-Aloud ENABLED
Adobe Acrobat (PDF) Format:  Printing DISABLED, Read-Aloud DISABLED
All Other formats: Printing DISABLED, Read-aloud DISABLED

Larry sat at his desk, chin in hand, waiting for the bell to ring. Today was the day. According to a rumor from Spike (whose mother knows the principal) they were going to meet their real teacher today.

Since school began last month, Larry, Spike and Joel, as well as the rest of the fourth graders at Washington Grade School, had been subjected to a series of substitutes because their real teacher had backed out of her contract (again, according to Spike). The subs, Larry thought, had been a sad bunch: a drippy one that sneezed every five minutes, a thin one that had skin problems--she itched all the time in interesting places--a clueless one who thought she was teaching first grade for the first three days, and a nasty one who yelled, even at the girls.

Larry watched his friend Spike sit down then he leaned toward him for a consultation with exactly two minutes, thirty seconds to go until the bell.

"Where's Joel?" Larry asked, noticing he hadn't come in with Spike. "Doesn't he carpool with you?"

"His sister said he was sick." Spike acted like he was gagging.

"I get it," Larry said. "Did you get any real information out of your mom about our new teacher?"

"No, but I tried. Maybe he'll be a former NBA player. Then we can spend the year learning about basketball."

"Why would anybody who'd played in the NBA be teaching fourth grade?" Larry asked, pulling out his sketch pad and scribbled a line drawing of PowerMan standing in front of their class, teaching.

Spike blew a bubble. It popped all over his chin. "He might have gotten injured. You know, bummed his knee or foot or something so he searched for another job and he heard about us."

"You're dreaming, Spike. I think we're going to get a retired superhero. You know, someone just like PowerMan, but older because he had to stop being a superhero because his eyesight wasn't any good anymore."

Larry could see it now, PowerMan in the flesh as his teacher. PowerMan would take one look at Larry and know he was superhero material. He would teach Larry how to climb tall buildings, rescue trapped babies from burning buildings and save the world from outer space invasion.

Larry felt Spike tapping on his shoulder. "Now who is dreaming? Superheroes are make believe."

Larry turned around to argue when the bell rang, so he held up his sketchpad instead, pointing to his drawing of PowerMan. Looking up, he noticed the principal stroll into class with some lady. A lady teacher? There went the NBA player and the superhero idea. Oh, well. She had a nice smile.

"Take your seats, class," said Mrs. Giles, the principal. "I'm sure you'll be happy to know your new teacher is here. This is Ms. Allen."

Larry looked up at her. At that exact moment she looked at Larry and smiled. Larry had never seen anybody smile like that. She smiled like she really meant it. Like she was happy that Larry was sitting in the first row.

"Think she was in the WNBA?" Spike whispered. His voice sounded hopeful. "She's tall."

Larry shook his head. She wouldn't be an ex-superhero either. But Larry didn't care about that. He could dream-up a superhero anytime just by closing his eyes. But why would he ever want to close his eyes in class again if Ms. Allen were his teacher?

Mrs. Giles left. Ms. Allen cleared her throat as she wrote her name on the board. "In case you've forgotten, my name is Ms. Allen. I want to tell you right away about something special. At the end of the month I'll award a Super Student medal to the student who proves to be the most polite and kind to other students, and the most helpful to me. The award is extra special because whoever wins it gets to have a pizza lunch with me."

Wow, Larry thought. Oh wow.

Ms. Allen cleared her throat again. "I'll give a Super Student award each month to a deserving student. At the end of the year, all the 'Super Students' will have a pizza party. How does that sound?"

The class cheered. Latessa Weber-Williams, who thinks she's the smartest girl in class, smiled at Larry. A not so nice smile either.

She thinks she'll get the special award this month, Larry thought. No way.

"Now, I have something else to tell you," Ms. Allen said. "I'll really need your help this month because yours is the first class I've ever taught."

Spike leaned forward. "I thought she looked really young," he whispered. "My sister looks older than her."

Larry turned around. He whispered, "That's because she wears so much make-up."

Ms. Allen snapped her fingers. "Let's listen, boys."

Larry snapped to attention, and shame upon shame she was pointing at him. He darted a glance at Latessa. Smirking, as usual.

Larry had been the first person Ms. Allen smiled at and the first person she'd scolded. Never again, Larry thought. She'll never catch me talking in class again. I'll be perfect for her. I'll do all my work and get perfect grades on all my spelling tests. I'll earn the Super Student award by the end of the month and every month after that.

Ms. Allen told them to take out their reading books. Larry slid his out of his desk and sighed. Yes, this was shaping up to be a terrific year.