
By Margaret Peterson Haddix, Mark Elliott (Illustrator)
New kid Dexter's tough facade hides deeper truths. Can he uncover them?
Dexter, the new kid, claims he's tough, but his first day reveals more than fights. As he navigates school, family issues, and a curious classmate, Dexter's story unravels unexpected truths. Why does the boy he hit want to be friends? What secrets lie beneath his bravado? Discover the surprises in Dexter's unfolding tale.
I’m the new kid. I am tuf. This morning I beat up a kid. It’s only the first day of school for Dexter, but he’s already mad at the principal, and the secretary, and the janitor, and the kids who laugh at him. When his teacher tells the class to write a story, Dexter writes about how tough he is – and how he’s already gotten into a fight. Is any of Dexter’s story true? Why was the other boy crying before Dexter hit him? And why would the other boy still want to be Dexter’s friend? Even Dexter doesn’t know the answers to some of those questions. But as he deals with family problems, a persistent teacher, and a boy who’s strangely interested in floor wax, he discovers many surprises hidden in his own tale.
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