I think this is an excellent middle grade book that all levels of students would love. I could see lower level students as well as high ability students being able to relate to this book.

A summer school book about a teacher who teachers her students that they are not dumb, as some have been told they are, but that they are just divergent thinkers and don't process information the way it's typically taught. As a visual learner myself, I think it is important for kids to recognize this in themselves and others.

This is a quick, fun novel-in-verse that I recommend to reluctant readers, even though it looks like it's a bit on the long side. There is a character here for everyone to root for; I would definitely recommend this to all middle-grade classroom teachers.

Another win from K.A. Holt! Ben Bee reminded me of the importance of thinking outside the box to reach all learners and how adaptable teachers truly must be, all while keeping me thoroughly entertained. Must read!

The format of this book will have kids hooked!! Between chat rooms, video game platform, prose, and free verse, each of the main characters brings you into their lives and their struggles. 4 kids are in summer school with a teacher who is not a traditional teacher, she helps them think outside the box and be more confident in their reading. A must read!!

Middle grade realistic fiction. When 4 students are stuck in summer school because they need another chance to pass the state standardized test (nicknamed the FART), their little class becomes its own community. Ben Y has decided to go by Ben Y instead of her formal name Benita, needing to separate herself from something tragic in her past. Ben B just wants to play Sandbox (a Minecraft-inspired game) and not write anything by hand. Jordan J. is worried about his dog, loves to dance, and has trouble focusing on anything for an extended period of time. Javier doesn't want to read aloud, prefers drawing to writing, and feels safer wearing his hoodie as a sort of mask. And you have Ms. J, a young teacher who herself is facing a sort of retake situation professionally. She wants to help the students read, succeed on the test, and become stronger students overall. When one student tries to flush her course book down the school toilet, Ms. J agrees to a new text, chosen by said student. Which is how the students end up reading a Choose-you-own-adventure story set in the Sandbox world. And she agrees to join Sandbox herself, if the students will use correct grammar and spelling in the game chat.

I loved this book. It was great to see a teacher that cared about life outside of school and tried so hard to connect to her students' interests. It was also great to see how the students blossomed when their voices were respected. This small group really did become a connected one. As heartbreaking as it was to read at the beginning that none of these kids had ever finished a book, it was believable after the story that they would. A great read for those who love Minecraft, found family, and inspiring teachers.

This is such a fun book for video game lovers. And for everyone! I will not have to convince leaders to try this one. It will move on its own.

BenBee and the Teacher Griefer needs to be read by every middle school teacher out there! The focus on diverse learning is so powerful, enhanced by the variety of storytelling: free verse, stream of consciousness, drawings. The characters were fleshed out and each one grabbed my heart it their own way. I'm looking forward to continuing the story in future books.
Fantastic series starter!

I really enjoy novels-in verse, including ones by Holt. This book was good but I couldn't really get into all of the characters. I did like how each chapter is from the point of view of the different students but the different writing styles was hard to adjust to each chapter.

KA Holt is just amazing. Her approach to middle grade novels is creative and exciting, keeping readers engaged with verse, throwing scribbled notes and blackout poetry, drawings and doodles in to catch readers where they live. I loved Rhyme Schemer and ended up using blackout poetry in my library at the time to get kids looking at words differently. Now, Holt takes on "divergent" kids and uses Sandbox, a game similar to Minecraft, to reach readers. Four characters: BenBee, BenY, JordanJ, and Javier are four kids in summer school for failing a Florida state standardized test (not-so affectionately referred to as the FART). Their teacher is Ms. J, a librarian-turned-teacher who's got her own assessment she's sweating over; she has to turn these "divergent thinkers" into readers that can pass the FART. The book unfolds through each tween's narration, told in their very individual styles: free verse, stream of consciousness, and art. Ms J isn't your normal type of teacher, and these kids - "the kids under the stairs", as that's the area where their classroom is shoehorned - aren't your typical students. Each is grappling with bigger issues than the FART, and Ms. J eventually understands that she's got to meet these kids where they live: namely, Sandbox.


BenBee and the Teacher Griefer has it all: grief and loss, learning disabilities and overbearing parents, a teacher willing to do the unconventional work to reach her students, and... Spartacus. The characters are realistic and relatable, fully realized on the page; the frustration with standardized testing and the "one student size fits all" approach, and the pressure on teachers to cram students into that one-size-fits-all model. The book is voraciously readable and deserves a spot next to the most popular Minecraft adventures and the best new kidlit.

I absolutely loved this book. Between the compelling visual format, the awesome teacher librarian, and the very real appeal of multiplayer gaming, this book will appeal to every middle grade student!

I really like how this book was written. As if the highlight the diverse thought processes of the diverse group of kids, each perspective is told in a different, unique way. This made the novel move quick, but it also gave such a great understanding of each character. I think all students will find someone they can relate to in this novel!

I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

Another great book by KA Holt. She always manages to bring complex issues to light in a very child friendly way. I loved the group of children gathered together in this novel.

This story shares what it is like to be in a summer school reading class when everyone, except your teacher, thinks you are a failure. This novel is told in four different points of view and each time it switches, the writing style switches, as well. I think this is great book for middle school students. The students will love the how the book is laid out and the gaming references. It was not my favorite book of 2020, but I think kids will like it.

I did not finish reading this book. First, I guess I didn’t read the synopsis thoroughly because I missed that it was in verse. Second, I can’t physically focus on the words the way it is formatted. But from what I saw, this would be suitable for upper elementary school kids who don’t necessarily like school and might have trouble reading or just dislike reading,

What happens when a bunch of reluctant readers who have failed a standardized test get a second chance- with a teacher who is willing to do whatever it takes to inspire their love of reading? Mayhem and video games, of course. As an educator and mom I thought this was sweet, funny, and just super cute! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for this unbiased review.

K. A. Holt knows kids sooo well. Her new book in verse is going to be a book that kids actually read. This is a story about a group of kids who failed the Florida State Assessment aka the FART and have to attend summer school. The kids are obsessed with Sandbox, a Minecraft type video game, which is way more engaging and fun than the baby books they are given to read. The group of divergent thinkers doesn’t like to read, which is actually true for the majority of students in any given classroom, regardless if they are good readers or not. Somewhere around 5th grade, we lose most boys to video-games since they find books boring. Knowing kids, I know that they will read this book because it gets them and it speaks to them.

I think the style of this story - that it is written and presented in multiple styles, each of which matches its narrator - is its greatest strength. Free verse, stream-of-consciousness, and "doodle art" are all present, along with other bits of non-narrative storytelling. Building this story around a Minecraft-style game is also excellently handled.

I love the way the story shows the intelligence of each of these "divergent" kids. I love that the teacher is genuinely trying to do her best to give them what they need to succeed. (As a teacher, I am quite fond of Ms. J.) I love that the kids are given agency and voice, and while there are some loose ends that I am left wondering about, I am generally satisfied that we got all of this story.

Recommended for upper elementary and middle school students, teachers who need to be reminded that kids have massive skills that exist outside of a classroom space, and probably anyone into a world-building game like Minecraft.

I would love to get a kid opinion on how much the game references ring true, but I see a lot of kid appeal and some some good value. The representation of the teacher as a whole person with her own professional troubles as well as some hidden talents (and even a FIRST NAME) is something I wish we saw more of in kidlit. Meanwhile, the diverse group of kids is dealing with grief and loss, disappointed parents, a stuttering problem, and more, while their teacher tries to help them embrace their "divergent thinking" as a strength. Even though that's what made them fail the Florida Rigorous Academic Assessment Test, which they call the FART. The Minecraft-esque hook may help engage reluctant readers, who will then see themselves reflected in the characters.

BenBee and the Teacher Griefer tells the story of four middle schoolers who need to go to summer school to boost their reading skills. They bond with each other over their love of video games, and their teacher finds a way to connect with them and encourage them through this love of video games.

I found this book to be very entertaining. Each chapter was told through the point of view of a different student, and told in various ways - in verse, stream of consciousness, drawing, and game chat room. This helps the reader to really get to know the characters beyond what is simply written on the page.

I will say that I shared the book with my 12 year old son, who could very much be a character in this story. He was very confused by the beginning pages of the book (teacher notes on test score results, followed by a page from a “book” that was similar to a choose your own adventure book), and wasn’t sure how to read it. As he is a reluctant reader, it was enough to turn him off from reading it completely. I am hoping now that I have read it and can give him insight on why those pages were placed in the front of the book, he will give it another try, because I think he would enjoy it.

I received a physical ARC from the publisher as well as a digital ARC from Netgalley.

This book is chock-full of kid appeal with its multimedia format, its different POVs and narrative styles (stream of consciousness, verse, sketches, and traditional), and, of course, the Minecraft-esque game that pulls everything together. Readers will enjoy following four neurodiverse kiddos (Ben B., Ben Y, Jordan, and Javier) and their librarian-turned-teacher Ms. J. as they struggle through summer school and preparation for the FART (yet another source of kid appeal). I would love to get my hands on a print copy, as the ebook format made some of the multimedia exposition hard to follow, but overall I'd recommend this book for reluctant readers and any middle grader who loves gaming.