ABOUT THIS BOOK

At first it seems as though Maxie, Rosie, and Earl have nothing in common. Maxie is too smart for his own good, Rosie is a born tattler, and Earl can't stop cracking up when he reads out loud in class. But when all three kids land outside the principal's office in disgrace, they can't help comparing notes.

Just when they think there's no chance of a reprieve, the fire alarm goes off. There's only one thing for three doomed nerds to do -- head straight for the exit doors and dive into the Dumpster!


REVIEWS

"Here's a book so funny, readers can't help but laugh out loud. Three misfits decide to skip school--and then worry all weekend they will be found out. Park's characters are so real, yet so wild, the actual plot hardly matters. The incredibly fast pacing, the one-liners, and the weird twists make this irresistible. A good read aloud, too."-- Booklist, starred review  


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Barbara Park is one of today's funniest and best-loved writers for middle graders.  Her novels, which include Dear God, HELP!!! Love Earl; Skinnybones; The Kid in the Red Jacket; and Mick Harte Was Here have won numerous children's book awards.  Barbara thinks that the wonderful thing about writing humor is that she is able to deal with serious issues in a more lighthearted way.  Barbara's fans always want to know whether or not her characters are based on her own children (she has two sons) -- in fact, they are not.  But having her sons has made it easier for her to know how kids talk and think.  What matters most to Barbara is that her books are bringing a few smiles to her readers.

Barbara lives in Paradise Valley, Arizona, with her husband, Richard. She holds a B.S. from the University of Alabama.  


AWARDS

WINNER 1990 - Parents' Choice Award
WINNER 1990 - Library of Congress Children's Books of the Year
WINNER 1991 - Maine Student Book Award
WINNER 1993 - Texas Bluebonnet Master List