Sixth-grader Henry Haddock’s personal war with School Board tyrant Scooter McDuff starts one morning in August when Henry discovers that several of his favorite teachers—including his art teacher, Ms. Webster—have been laid off in a wave of budget cuts.
When Henry goes to the Blackhawk School Board to ask what happened, Chairman Farrell “Scooter” McDuff tells him to shut up. Then, it happens again. Pretty soon, Henry is organizing petitions, picket lines and demonstrations.
Among Henry’s allies is his next-door neighbor and best friend, Fantasia Fulton—a ball of fire who’s likely to explode at any moment. Eventually joining Henry’s crusade are his older sister Amy and Fantasia’s big brother, Darnell “Moose” Fulton.
Within a month of his innocent visit to the School Board, Henry is entangled in a full-scale political battle and. As the shells begin to fly, Moose is drafted into a reform ticket to overthrow the School Board.
The campaign motto: “CHOOSE MOOSE.”
A coming-of-age comedy in the tradition of Homer Price and Henry Reed, its scenes include Scooter McDuff flattening a local TV reporter, Henry outsmarting a local talk-radio host and Fantasia Fulton playing Tarzan at Scooter’s big pre-election campaign rally.

AWARDS: Independent Press Awards, Distinguished Favorite, Juvenile Fiction, 2023.