Troublemaker

By Andrew Clements
Rating: 3 1/2 stars

Sixth grader Clayton is a troublemaker in school.  Not in a malicious or violent way, but in that clever, funny way that endears him to others as much as it gets him into the principal's office.  He loves to brag about his exploits to his older brother Mitch, who was also a troublemaker in his time, and his folder in the school office grows weekly.  But when his brother Mitch comes back from a short jaunt in jail, he is determined to turn over a new leaf--and that Clayton will, too.  But how does someone with a reputation like Clayton's suddenly STOP being a troublemaker and turn into a regular guy?  Who will ever believe he has changed?  This is a story for anyone out there who tried to change the way they are--or wants to--and for the people who need to give that person a chance to be different.  A quick and enjoyable school story.