“Few beginning chapter books have the range of this one, from hilarity to sadness, from outrage to compassion, and few writers could manage it with such finesse.” –BooklistIt’s a cold January at Watertower Elementary School—the ideal weather for second grader Gooney Bird Greene to break out her brain-warming hat. Mrs. Pidgeon is teaching poetry—from haiku to limericks. So when tragedy befalls their teacher, her students are prepared to write the most important poem they’ve ever written. Thomas’s expressive drawings bring the characters to life in this funny, emotionally nuanced beginning chapter book. Brain-warming… and heartwarming, too!