Reseña del libro "I Hate My Teacher: 5th Grade Friends and Foes"
Did you ever hate your teacher? In this heartwarming, funny and fast-paced middle grade novel, Dillon London loves school almost as much as he hates his strict homeroom teacher, Mrs. Jackson. He renames her "the General" because she makes the class march in the hallways.Dillon loves playing tricks on his teacher as a way of rebelling against her authority. He routinely acts up and gets detention... again and again. He is up to page 47 of copying the dictionary during recess! At Open House, Dillon is angry when he overhears the General telling his mother he is lazy. When his teacher convinces his mother that he should enter a project in the Science Fair, he declares war, believing that the General is picking on him. Dillon plays hilarious tricks on the General. Dillon wins battles, but the General keeps winning the war. She makes Dillon help the new boy, Tran Anh Vo, whose family members were refugees from Vietnam. After having seen violent, bloody movies about the Vietnam War, Dillon is scared when he visits Tran's home, until Tran's mother describes some of the terrible suffering the family endured before they fled to safety and a new life in America. Dillon observes the family as they honor their ancestors, and learns respect for their Buddhist traditions. At school, Dillon befriends a gentle black boy, Jabari, who is autistic. Dillon and Jabari learn from Tran how to make paper origami frogs and jet fighters. Dillon continues to grow in understanding and respecting others; yet, he still questions the authority of his teacher. Tran is targeted by the class bully, "Big Joe", whose grandfather was killed in Vietnam. Big Joe hates all Vietnamese people, and turns his wrath toward Dillon for helping Tran. After Dillon is injured during a fire drill, the General visits him in the hospital and their feud seems to take a turn for the better. Dillon doesn't know that her son died in Vietnam while saving the lives of other soldiers. Dillon hopes he can trust the General when she promises to visit him again. He decides to test his teacher, before he will trust her. When the General fails his test, Dillon vows to continue their feud. Dillon's army father surprises their family in a surprise visit from the war in Afghanistan. When Dillon returns to school, he learns that the General has been replaced by a clueless substitute he names "Captain Klutz". The Klutz is at his mercy! He acts up, and classroom behavior descends into chaos. The new substitute teacher, "Major Payne", quickly restores order and guides the class through the big achievement tests and Field Day. When the General undergoes dangerous surgery, Dillon realizes how wrong he has been. He admits to himself that his own behavior caused many of their problems. If she survives, will he surrender and bring an end to their war? Publishers Weekly BookLife Review, May 2020: "Tweens going through hard times will respond powerfully to this poignant tale of a boy grappling with anxiety and loss." "Simpson's experience as a schoolteacher shines through as she develops the individual personalities of each student and faculty member." "Poignant but not depressing, this nuanced novel will help children gain perspective on historical and present-day sorrows."
