The Night the Whole Class Slept Over - Softcover

Stella Pevsner is the author of many popular books for middle-grade readers, most recently IS EVERYONE MOONBURNED BUT ME? She lives in Chicago, Illinois.

Grade 5-7-- Dan Wakefield is tired of being dragged from home to home by his hippie mother, ever in search of settings to spark her artistic creativity. His father, a college professor, has sacrificed his career to support her wishes; neither parent seems to realize the hidden emotional costs of the frequent moves. The boy feels inadequate and resents being deprived of long-term friends, while his younger sister simply refuses to talk. When Dan confides in his grandmother, his life begins to change in positive ways. He finds himself in a real school with a new best friend, Felix; a most attractive love interest, Amanda; and eccentric B. J., a girl who plagues him. When the annual sixth-grade sleep over is held at the library, all of these elements collide in a cyclone of ice, power outages, and hilarity. Through careful characterization and plot development, Pevsner allows readers to examine various dynamics: the grandparents believe that family is paramount and almost smother his mother; in reaction, she espouses "do your own thing" ideals; while Felix must function with an indifferent, yuppie set of parents. Through the sympathetic intervention of other adults, Dan's life is set to rights in a satisfying way. Pevsner continues to explore how children must interact with adults who are dealing with their own problems. She is at her best here, telling an entertaining story while subtly scoring thematic points.
- Cindy Darling Codell, Belmont Junior High School, Winchester, KY
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