Heads or Tails Stories from the Sixth Grade

Jack's life is a crazy roller-coaster ride. At his fifth school in six years, he has a crackpot teacher who wont give him a break about his lousy handwriting and a secret crush who wants to be a policewoman. At home, he has a pesty little brother with a knack for breaking an arm whenever Jack's supposed to be looking after him, a terror for an older sister, al sorts of werd neighbors, and, last but not least, ferocious alligators in the canal behind his house. Writing in his diary about his good days and bad days is one way Jack survives his up-and-down year. but he's also a kid who knows that life can go any which way at any given moment. He might as well flip a coin: heads he wins, tails he loses, What will turn up next?

Jack Gantos has written many picture books and novels, most recently Joey Pigza Loses Control, a Newbery Honor Book. He lives in Boston, Massachusetts, with his wife and daughter.