Do Bananas Chew Gum‪?‬

Sixth grade is tough enough with new braces—and tougher when you’re twelve and still read like a second grader.

Sam has made it most of the way through sixth grade, barely able to read and write, but now Sam's family have moved again and he is faced with the prospect of attending a new school. In Stockton, his fifth new town, he relies on clowning and funny faces to hide that printed words look like a jumble.

Landing an after-school job watching two lively young brothers gives him a chance to earn money for a classroom tape recorder. How can he keep up the act when even a simple babysitting note threatens to give him away?

Can his quick jokes distract everyone before someone notices what he cannot do? How long will he be able to keep his problem secret?
Humorous Chapter Book: Sam’s laugh-out-loud antics—from posing with wire whiskers in the orthodontist’s chair to sifting through cafeteria trash for a lost retainer—keep the story engaging and relatable.School Drama: A disastrous classroom spelling bee and the constant dread of being labeled a dumbhead capture the authentic anxieties of sixth grade.Unlikely Friendships: Teaming up with class brain Alicia Bliss helps Sam realize he is far more capable than he thinks.Learning Differences: Encouragement from a perceptive resource teacher shows Sam that struggling to read is a challenge to work through, not a lack of intelligence.Also by This Author: Bug in a Rug, It Goes Eeeeeeeeeeeee! and 4B Goes Wild.