The Children’s Book Review | March 14, 2019
Rob Buyea taught third and fourth graders for six years; then he taught high school biology and coached wrestling for seven years. Currently, he is a full-time writer and lives in Massachusetts with his wife and daughters. He is the author of The Perfect Score and The Perfect Star, companion novels to The Perfect Secret. His first novel, Because of Mr. Terupt, was selected as an E. B. White Read Aloud Honor Book and a Cybils Honor Book. It has also won seven state awards and was named to numerous state reading lists. Mr. Terupt Falls Again and Saving Mr. Terupt are companion novels to Because of Mr. Terupt.
I write because …
It’s fun, because it’s challenging, and because it’s my passion. Writing is everything wrestling used to be for me, but bigger.
I read because …
Nobody but a reader becomes a writer. And because reading great books always gets me excited to write.
My latest published book is …
I wrote this book because …
The Perfect Score needed a sequel. And because I love the characters and wanted to spend more time with them.
Best moment …
First book signing at a local Barnes & Noble. When I arrived I learned I was part of children’s story hour, and found myself facing a carpet of four and five-year olds. Not kids for my middle grade novel. I grabbed Dav Pilkey’s picture book, Dog Breath, off the wall and read that to the children. (Love that book!) When I finished the children got the other copies of Dog Breath and asked me to sign that. Okay, maybe not my best moment, but one I’ll never forget!
My special place to write is …
Bright, warm, and serving coffee.
Necessary writing/creativity tool …
Coffee.
The person who has been my greatest writing teacher or inspiration is …
Richard Peck. (For more on that check out my blog post from last year at http://robbuyea.com/blog/2018/02/21/dear-mr-peck/)
Currently reading …
Friday Night Lights by H.G. Bissinger. Reading The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier with my daughter. Listening to Harbor Me by Jacqueline Woodson in my car.
Favorite bookshop …
R.J. Julia Booksellers in Madison, CT.
All-time favorite children’s book I didn’t write…
I’m terrible at “favorite” questions, but if I have to pick one, Where The Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls.
Favorite illustrator …
Harry Bliss—he’s responsible for my Mr. Terupt covers.
A literary character I would like to vacation with …
When I am not reading or writing I am …
Crazy busy with my children.
Visit Rob Buyea online at robbuyea.com and on Facebook, and follow @RobBuyea on Twitter.
The Perfect Secret
Written by Rob Buyea
Publisher’s Synopsis: From the beloved author of Because of Mr. Terupt comes the sequel to The Perfect Score, about a lovable group of students at Lake View Middle School and the rewards and challenges of seventh grade.
These students are in for a year of secrets, discoveries, and kid power!
GAVIN finally joins the football team–a dream come true!–but Coach Holmes refuses to play him for reasons that also threaten to tear Gavin’s family apart. When RANDI attends an elite gymnastics camp, she uncovers a startling family connection. SCOTT starts researching an article for the school newspaper and stumbles right into a hornet’s nest of lies. With his loser older brother, Brian, out of the house, TREVOR’s life is loads better–until he realizes that only he can save Brian from getting into deep trouble. NATALIE’s top goals: (1) find out why Mrs. Woods and Mrs. Magenta no longer speak to each other–a mission shared by all the kids–and (2) teach a certain someone an important life skill without anyone knowing.
It’s tough keeping secrets. And tougher still to deal with the fallout when secrets spill out.
Ages 9-12 | Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers | October 9, 2019 | ISBN-13: 978-1524764593
Available Here
Discover more books like The Perfect Score, written by Rob Buyea, by checking out our reviews and articles tagged with Books With Secrets, Middle Grade Books, Middle School, and Rob Buyea; plus, be sure to follow along with our Writing and Reading Life series.
