The cast of characters here is lengthy. This is the story of CJ, Raymond, and Julie (three Grade 7 students), Hobo (their homeroom hamster), Miss Hiss (the science lab’s boa constrictor), Wilson (a Grade 9 bully), Mr. Saunders (the English teacher), Ms. Harrison (the science teacher), Mrs. Warren (the night custodian), and what happens to them over the course of a few days – which is quite a bit.

CJ and Raymond have romantic feelings for Julie. So does Wilson. CJ plots to get Julie interested in Raymond to divert her from the bully Wilson. A baseball poem written by Mr. Saunders accidentally ends up in CJ’s math book, is discovered by CJ’s father, and entered in a local poetry competition. Both the hamster and snake escape and wander through the school. Wilson and two buddies bully Raymond, finally causing him to end up in a coma. At this point, the plot, which has been comic in tone, takes a serious turn. While Raymond is comatose, we learn about Wilson’s considerable stress at home. Before Raymond recovers, Wilson’s absent mother sweeps in and removes him to a private school, where his life will be reformed. Romance blossoms between the two teachers. CJ surprises Mr. Saunders when the baseball poem wins the competition.

These many plot threads tie up neatly in an epilogue, which tells, among other things, that Wilson becomes a neurosurgeon. The story shifts point-of-view constantly, making it hard to form a bond with anyone. It’s also unusual to place a life-threatening accident in a comic novel for this age group. Some fine writing occurs in this section, but the mood swing is disorienting. Altogether, the many abrupt shifts in this book keep the reader more off balance than entertained.