Overruled, by Christy Wopat

Dear Reader, are you so old you’ve forgotten what it’s like to be a child unfairly accused of something you didn’t do? Are you so old you don’t remember the smoldering sense of injustice when grownups believe the worst of you, and you have no way to open their eyes?

If so, author Christy Wopat is here to jog your memory with Overruled, the story of Mac, a fifth-grader who has been known as a troublemaker since his first day of kindergarten. And the thing about Mac is—guilty as charged. Yet, he is also capable of being innocent, once in a long while. And that’s a big deal. The author shows us how big a deal that can be by putting the immature Mac through the wringer of a classroom mock trial. At stake is his classmates’ verdict on a certain playground violation. But the real question, lurking in the background: Is there any hope for Mac? Will his whole life be blighted by poor decisions in grade school?

This is a book that could only have been written by a dedicated classroom teacher, one who understands how the hope and promise in a particular child may be clouded over by layer upon layer of circumstance. And just to be given a fighting chance by an adult in authority can make a big difference. 

If you were ever that pupil . . . if you were ever that teacher . . . or if you are just a human being with a heart, you owe it to yourself to get a copy of Overruled and read it. And pass it on to a friend. 

It comes to you from my friend Christy, an educator and mom who is all heart, and a gifted writer besides. 

Blessings,

Larry F. Sommers

Your New Favorite Writer