The View from Saturday — E.L. Konigsburg

MEET THE SOULS
--Noah, who quite by accident was best man at the wedding of Ethan's grandmother and Nadia's grandfather
--Nadia, a hybrid with a halo of red hair, a dog that's a genius, and a fondness for baby turtles
--Ethan, the silent second son of one of Epiphany's oldest families, who discovers he likes halos
--Julian, the strangest person on the school bus, who starts everything by inviting the others to a tea party

How did Mrs. Olinski, returning to teaching ten years after being paralyzed in an automobile accident, choose these four to be her sixth-grade Academic Bowl team? And how did this unlikely foursome become even unlikelier champions, in far more than just the state middle school competition? The View From Saturday is a rich and rewarding journey that answers these questions and raises many more.