Peter Pomperfield and the Siege of Fair Oak Elementary — D.A. Thompson

"Do you know how they make swords, Peter?" Ms. Val asked. "It takes a lot of heat and a lot of hammering. That's the only way to turn rocks into steel... The fire is hot and the hammer is heavy. Let it shape you into the young man I know you can be. Fight the loneliness and despair. Rise up and be a leader, Peter Pomperfield." Peter knew it was going to be a difficult year from the very moment he met his fifth grade teacher, Mr. Grendelsen. The many hours of after school detention and endless homework were only the beginning. Mr. Grendelsen's hatred for Peter caused him to lose his friends and the companionship of the elves and gnomes. But when Mr. Grendelsen holds the class hostage Peter must set aside his doubts and help the class survive. Once considered an outcast, Peter's classmates now look to him as their leader and the only person who can break the siege. Peter Pomperfield and the Siege of Fair Oak Elementary brilliantly mixes human emotion with legend and myth. Peter, Molly and all the beloved characters from Battle for Grandma's House return to help face crazy teachers, bitter forest gnomes, gypsies, ogres, wargs, hermits and a mysterious group called the Death Choosers. Readers of all ages will enjoy the way the Peter Pomperfield series combines elements of fantasy with the everyday world, creating a magical environment that is both familiar and unexpected. The adventure concludes by setting the stage for the next book, Peter Pomperfield and the War for Camp Willalacky.