Proudly CanadianBooks picked and shipped in Canada

The Boy Who Failed Show and Tell

by Jordan Sonnenblick

Subject
Humorous Stories
Age
6-8 years
Format
Hardcover
Pages
224
Publisher
Scholastic Press
Size
14.0 cm × 21.1 cm
ISBN
9781338647235
An unbelievably hilarious middle-grade true story from bestselling author Jordan Sonnenblick.

In a typical school year, every kid has one or two things go wrong. But for Jordan, there's A LOT going wrong ALL THE TIME.

Take this year. Here are some of the thing going wrong:

-- His teacher hates him. Like, really hates him. Like, is totally out to get him even when he's trying to be good, and is willing to fail him on the simplest things, like show and tell.

-- He has a slight breathing problem because of his asthma. And breathing is never really an optional activity.

-- His pet snake has given birth to way, way, way too many baby snakes, all who need a home.

-- He is finding that becoming The World's Best Drummer in no time whatsoever is maybe not the easiest goal.

-- There are bullies ready to stomp him when all he has to defend himself with is a lunchbox.

And all this doesn't even include the freak swing set accident, the fears inside his head, or the funniest class presentation ever.

By keeping his cool (some of the time), banging on the drums (a lot), and keeping his sense of humor (all the time), Jordan's going to try to make it through the year . . . and grow up to write a book about it!

About the author

Jordan SonnenblickAuthor

Jordan Sonnenblick is the author of the acclaimed Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie, After Ever After, Notes from the Midnight Driver, Zen and the Art of Faking It, Falling Over Sideways, and The Secret Sheriff of Sixth Grade. He lives in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, with his wife and two children.

Data provided by BiblioShare.

This title isn't available to order right now. Browse the book shop for thousands that are.

What reviewers said

"A rewarding novel, lit with flashes of irrepressible humor."
Booklist, starred review
"Sonnenblick creates in Maverick an endearing protagonist to root for. Despite daunting obstacles, this terrific boy retains a strong sense of self, a sense of humor, and a big heart that impels him to do what's right."
Kirkus Reviews
"[A] winning formula... a child in crisis, lots of humorous situations and one-liners, and moments of genuine warmth and emotion."
Horn Book
"Sonnenblick has a knack for smart, droll, first-person narration... The book's beginning sounds so much like other, sunnier novels that readers, like Claire, will feel a jolt when the first crisis comes. But they'll stay with her every step of the way."
Booklist, starred review
"With humor, grace, and an ear for middle school nuance, Sonnenblick navigates the tricky waters of eighth grade and manages to convey the heartbreak of a major tragedy alongside the more mundane, but no less horrifying, problems... Authentic, funny, dramatic, fantastic."
Kirkus Reviews, starred review
"It's a powerful and profound look at a family coping with unexpected change."
Publishers Weekly, starred review
© 2026 Peekabooks Inc. All Rights Reserved.
© 2026 Peekabooks Inc. All Rights Reserved.