Ms.Bixby's Last Day by John David Anderson

From Goodreads,

"Everyone knows there are different kinds of teachers. The good ones. The not-so-good ones. The boring ones, the mean ones, the ones who try too hard. The ones you’ll never remember, and the ones you want to forget. But Ms. Bixby is none of these. She’s the sort of teacher who makes you feel like the indignity of school is worthwhile. Who makes the idea of growing up less terrifying. Who you never want to disappoint. What Ms. Bixby is, is one of a kind.

Topher, Brand, and Steve know this better than anyone. And so when Ms. Bixby unexpectedly announces that she is very sick and won’t be able to finish the school year, they come up with a plan. Through the three very different stories they tell, we begin to understand just what Ms. Bixby means to Topher, Brand, and Steve—and what they are willing to go to such great lengths to tell her.

John David Anderson, the acclaimed author of Sidekicked, returns with a story of three kids, a very special teacher, and one day that none of them will ever forget."

Goodreads - Ms.Bixby's Last Day

This book is about three students who find out that their favorite teacher, Ms.Bixby, has cancer.  They decide to give her the best day ever and skip school to make it happen.  The book is told through the eyes of each boy and it tells of the people and obstacles the boys encounter while trying to make Ms.Bixby's best day happen.

As a teacher, this is the kind of book that moves me.  I hope that I have impacted students' lives the way that Ms.Bixby has impacted students.  I loved that the three boys each had some special connection with Ms.Bixby.  I also liked that John David Anderson took his time giving the information about the connection each boy had with Ms.Bixby.  I felt that having each of the boys have a little bit of a different story and connection made the book more relatable.  There were definitely teachers that I had that believed in me, and I remember those teachers.  I remember the teacher that bought me an ornament at Christmas because my dad was deployed.  That small gesture meant to much to me, and now every Christmas I think of her when I put the ornament on the tree.  It's the smallest things that can make an impact on a student.  I'm a teacher and sometimes I forget that even the smallest gesture can change a child's life.  I personally connected with this book on that level because it really reminded me what a difference I'm making. 

I absolutely adored this book, but I had some serious mixed feelings about the alcohol references in the book.  One of the things that the boys were determined to get was a bottle of wine for Ms.Bixby.  They ended up having to ask a guy for help buying the alcohol because obviously the kids were underage.  The guy seemed to be a real criminal and was drinking alcohol on the bus.  This book was far more mature than it had to be.  I felt like to an extent it was promoting underage purchasing of alcohol, drinking, and illegal activity.  However, it also reminded me that teachers do have lives outside of school and sometimes their perfect day includes having a glass of wine.

I loved this book and would recommend it for all teachers.  It's good to remember why you are teaching and what a difference you are making.  The chapters tended to be a little length, but I still give this book 5 out of 5 stars.