This is the perfect book for any child who feels like they don't fit the "mold" as a student, who has experienced loss in life, who is struggling to understand their gender identity, or honestly just any student. And, every educator needs to read this book! The group of kids in this book are thrown together in summer school due to failing the state test, but they learn so much more then how to pass a test during their time together. Their teacher, Ms. J, is the perfect leader for this group of kids since she also understands not fitting in and seeming to fit the expectations of others.

BenBee and the Teacher Griefer is a story about 4 students who are poor readers and are attending summer school to try and improve their reading skills. The story is told through the point of view of each student which helps the reader to understand each character better. The students luck out with a teacher who takes a real interest in them and even begins to join them in their favorite video game. As a result, the students begin to improve. However, before the summer session is over, their teacher is fired! So what is going to happen to the students now?

I loved the style of writing and the idea of this book. It's really nice and I love everything that happens. It's so real and I found myself engulfed in this book. It was such a awesome read and a really funny one two. I definitely laughed a lot while reading. This book is perfect for readers ages 8-11.

BenBee and the Teacher Griefer is the perfect middle grade novel for the Minecraft fan in your life. Written by K.A. Holt, BenBee is a novel told from the perspectives of four students in summer school. Ben B., Ben Y., Javier and Jordan J. all struggle with reading, and the state standardized testing doesn’t take into account their “divergent” abilities. The students find their strengths playing Sandbox, a Minecraft-type game, and they get help from a teacher who is willing to learn and work with them so they can succeed. The novel is a mix of verse, prose and drawings, with a chat logs from Sandbox mixed in. I’m looking forward to adding this one to my middle school collection and book talking it with my students (though honestly, it won’t be a hard sell).

3.5 stars

So, I love stories that have what I call “The Breakfast Club Trope”. Take a group of plucky misfit kids that aren’t friends and throw them together so they become best friends in the end. (Make it multiple perspectives and throw a special teacher into the mix and you’re pretty much golden.) So, I did love that aspect of it.

I also really loved how Javier’s and Jordan’s thoughts were presented. (Jordan with ADHD having a lot of run-on sentences and distracted thoughts and Javier’s being presented in drawings.) And I also love seeing learning disabilities displayed in a positive but realistic light.

Overall, though. I feel like this particular story - while cute - was not for me personally. I also found it to drag a little in parts so there was that. I don’t think I plan on reading the rest of the series. However, I can see where other people would really love this book.

Perfect for fans of Gordon Korman’s THE UNTEACHABLES and Sarah Scheerger’s OPERATION FROG EFFECT.

Will I be purchasing in September?

Probably not.

Wow! K.A. Holt does it again with this amazing book written for all the divergent kids we serve. A must read title for any middle grade library. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Summer school! Ugh! Four sixth graders fail the Florida state test and have to attend summer school. The four students’ distinct voices tell the story of their time together as they actually attempt to completely finish a book for the first time. Ms. J, their teacher, is learning just as much as the kids. The foursome of “divergent learners” convinces Ms. J to learn to play Sandbox, a popular video game, in return for their reading. As the five get to know each other, friendships form. The characters work together to solve their problems.

Students will enjoy the different writing styles of each character: free verse, stream of consciousness, chat, and graphics. This book will have a strong appeal to a variety of readers. I’m thinking a lot about the kids who read Jeff Kinney repeatedly. Students will definitely see themselves in the characters. Told with humor and pathos, this is a book I will heartily recommend. And to think I almost passed it by.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.

As an educator this book is very near and dear to my heart and I cannot wait to share it with my students. I love how the book is written in different formats- verse, prose, and illustrations. More importantly, I love how this book showcases students who struggle with reading and have a love for video games. I have had many students in the past who could relate to these children. I know I personally love being able to relate to characters in a book and I know my students feel the same way. Furthermore, this book sets an excellent example for students who are struggling and how you can overcome your challenges. As a teacher I strongly identified with Ms. J. I too use video games as a reward for some of my students. I will admit the fact that Ms. J often referred to Ben Y as Benitia numerous times despite Ben Y correcting her, did make me feel aggravated for Ben Y. However, this issue is addressed and not forgotten by both characters.

I received an electronic ARC from Chronicle Books through NetGalley.
Interesting concept and writing style. Told by the four main characters - each has their own unique delivery style - some poetry, some prose, some drawings.
These divergent thinkers all end up in summer school as they failed their standardized test. Combine this with a love for one video game - think Mindcraft - and middle grade readers will appreciate this book.
Holt reveals more about her characters throughout the story. Readers will relate to their life situations and how they handle them. Powerful message about learning styles, uniqueness and how life factors affect learning.
Hope we see a seventh grade sequel.

I love verse books and K.A. Holt. I think my students would really enjoy this book because of the video game connections--and they will love the FART idea for the state testing! It took me a little bit to keep everyone straight, and that might be difficult to do for my students as well. The book also uses many different types of writing, which can be good or bad for some kids. However, maybe the changes in writing styles might get more students into verse books who might not give them a chance otherwise.

I had the hardest time reading Jordan's entries because there was SO much! I found myself skimming those sections for the main ideas. I really liked the way the story pulled together at the end, and once I got into the book, I enjoyed it.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed reading this story of 4 children in a remedial test-prep class. The students struggle studying, but they get their teacher to play a video game in exchange for them reading aloud. Will definitely push this to my middle school students. The various formats are really interesting!

This 100% reminds me of a book written FOR kids - which duh, isn’t that the point? A story written from 4 different perspectives; verse, prose, and illustration — which as a teacher has my wheels spinning with how I can use the entire book as a mentor text. The storyline follows this group of kids who are in an isolated class for retaking their Florida State Assessment that they call the FART - but it digs even deeper by building a huge bond through Sandbox a Minecraft type video game that they even get their teacher in on. As I read this story I thought of how many students are going to connect to each of these kids in many different wants. Whether it’s their academic struggle (504s, dysgraphia, stuttering, anxiety for test taking) or their family struggles (Parent expecting perfection, single parents, losing a dog, losing a family member, not feeling accepted by your family) - this book has something for every single student sitting in your classroom. Again, another K.A. Holt book done phenomenally. Can’t wait to share.

Thank you Chronicle Books and NetGalley for sharing an eARC with me in exchange for an honest review. I am a HUGE KA Holt fan and so I went into this book knowing it would be wonderful...and it was!
Here are the reasons why I found this book to be so wonderful:
-short chapters
-4 perspectives
-diverse backgrounds in characters
-each character had their own trauma
-"classroom under the stairs"
-Different styles of writing-verse, stream of consciousness, doodles
-gaming
-teamwork
-humor

Gosh, I did love this book and know you would too!

I loved this book because -

- the different styles the four kids wrote in - some drawings, some free verse, some journaling, etc. Kids will enjoy how the author mixed it up and used different writing styles to show the personalities of the kids in the story

- it showcased how different learning styles and sometimes even deficiencies can be overcome, used to advantages, and are important to know about and use going forward

- it taught us that friendship can be found anywhere, and with anyone, if we are willing to open ourselves up to the opportunity and accept people for who they are

Although the underlying message is one of hope, I found this book confusing. Four students have failed a state test and must attend summer school. The teacher agrees to allow the students to play a videogame they all are hooked on, for as many minutes as they read aloud in class. The stories of each student and the respectful bond they end up forming with their teacher are told in alternating chapters, However the story never fully comes into focus because the students' personalities are not distinct. Although the text is written in different styles for each student, their voices can be interchangeable, especially since they all suffer from teen angst, despair and embarrassment. This reviewer was disappointed.

K.A. Holt has done it again. She has written a book that is going to make all kids want to read. As an educator, it is such a gift to have books that you can recommend to kids that you know they will like. This story follows the summer school learning of four characters as they prepare to retake their Florida state assessment, lovingly referred to as the FART. Holt cleverly uses prose, poetry and pictures to have the characters tell their version of the story. This book addresses so many issues that are relatable for kids, especially kids with learning differences. This book will help academically struggling kids see themselves and know that they aren't alone. Mrs. J is a teacher that all educators hope to be—a divergent thinker who seeks to meet students where they are and who knows that learning is about more than the assigned content. This story is powerful and will be a favorite in my class this year.

What an intriguing format AND subject matter! Using free verse poetry, stream of consciousness, plus a traditional narrative to represent the 4 distinct personalities and divergent thinking of the main characters should grab the attention of teachers and students. Using the love of a "sandbox" style online game to unite these struggling students will likely confuse some teachers but thrill most middle graders, even those who are not obsessed with Minecraft or similar. Holt's steady revealing of key traits for Ben Bee, Ben Y, Javier, and Jordan J is done subtlety but even the most reluctant of readers will realize the depth of the grief felt by two, the shame that ties the tongue of another, and the pressure to succeed put on the last. Great choice for libraries, homes, and classrooms of students grades 4-8, especially those who love online gaming or who might be atypical learners. K.A. Holt keeps profanity, sex, and violence out of her book and does not throw any potentially controversial issues into the mix...unless someone might object to a teacher using what her kids love to connect with and teach the kids she grows to love. Name association and a few identified physical traits may be used to categorize the main characters by race, but it is not imperative to the plot, however, if a library is seeking to diversify their collection, it is probable that at least two are Hispanic and one could possibly be Black. Highly recommended

There was far more substance to this book that the title and format implies. BenBee along with a small group of “divergent learners” are stuck in summer school preparing for the FRAAT (aka FART) state exam retake. They are all reluctant readers and dread reading aloud as well as the upcoming state exam retake. Each chapter is told from a different character’s point of view and they each have a variety of formats--prose, chat, paragraphs, cartoons, etc. I wish the character names had been more varied because even I struggled to keep the characters straight because of their similar names and this may frustrate some readers. This formatting will appeal to reluctant readers and may grab some graphic novel fans.

Each character is struggling with parent pressure, learning disabilities, family deaths, etc. With the help of their understanding and amazing teacher, Mrs. J, they become friends and learn to appreciate their “divergent” needs. This will appeal to many of my students who see themselves as “different” and who enjoy quick, but meaningful reads.

I know just the right kids to share this book with first! The kids who are obsessed with Minecraft and technology. The kids who are reluctant to participate. The kids who want to read about kids who might be struggling in similar ways to themselves. I think that the different writing styles for the different points of view resonated well in expressing each character’s uniqueness. I think that the reminders about accepting people for who they are and about understanding who is in front of you were done in a way that will get through to readers. All in all, I’m glad I pushed this one forward on my reading list.

Thanks to Netgalley for the e-ARC! This novel in verse is going to truly hit home with many students who struggle with reading, yet succeed in other areas. Gaming and chat text are included and appeal more to the middle school crowd. It was a little difficult to read the e-ARC because of the different features, so a physical book would be best.