Troublemaker by Andrew Clements

There’s a folder in Principal Kelling’s office that’s as thick as a phonebook and it’s growing daily. It’s filled with the incident reports of every time Clayton Hensley broke the rules. There’s the minor stuff like running in the hallways and not being where he was suppose to be when he was supposed to be there. But then there are also reports that show Clay’s own brand of troublemaking, like the most recent addition: the art teacher has said that the class should spend the period drawing anything they want and Clay decides to be extra “creative” and draw a spot-on portrait of Principal Kellings…as a donkey. It’s a pretty funny joke, but really, Clay is coming to realize that the biggest joke of all may be on him. When his big brother, Mitchell, gets in some serious trouble, Clay decides to change his own mischief making ways…but he can’t seem to shake his reputation as a troublemaker. From the master of the school story comes a book about the fine line between good-humored mischief and dangerous behavior and how everyday choices can close or open doors. Every teacher hopes Clay Adkin will be assigned to someone else’s classroom, and every parent hopes he will befriend another family’s children. Smart, scrappy, and unfazed by punishment, Clay is from a home rife with turmoil. But when Clay’s delinquent older brother Mitchell begins to wise up and pull his life together, he wants Clay to change too. And so Clay tries. But changing a reputation isn’t as easy as changing your socks, and Clay finds that altering the attitudes of his teachers and peers and taking responsibility for his actions is a monumental challenge…. Andrew Clements’s latest novel, about mentors, role models, and choosing friends, examines the fine line between good-humored mischief and dangerous behavior—and how everyday choices can close or open doors. Andrew Clements asks: is a Troublemaker a troublemaker for life?
About the Author: Andrew Clements is the author of the enormously popular Frindle. Over ten million of his books have sold to date and he has been nominated for a multitude of state awards and has won two Christopher Awards and an Edgar Award. His popular works include Extra Credit, Lost and Found, No Talking, Room One, Lunch Money and more.  He is also the author of the Benjamin Pratt & the Keepers of the School series. Mr. Clements taught in the public schools near Chicago for seven years before moving East to begin a career in publishing and writing. He lives with his wife in central Massachusetts and has four grown children.  His website is andrewclements.com.  Keith Nobbs has appeared on Broadway in The Lion In Winter and off-Broadway in Dog Sees God, Romance, The Hasty Heart, Bye Bye Birdie, Dublin Carol, and Four (Lucille Lortel Award, Drama Desk Nomination). His film credits include Phone Booth, Double Whammy, and 25th Hour. Television credits include The Black Donnellys (series regular), Law and Order: Criminal Intent, and The Sopranos.

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Troublemaker by Andrew Clements