In 1996, the Academic Bowl competition in New York’s Epiphany school district brings together four sixth-grade students: Noah, Nadia, Ethan, and Julian. Known as The Souls, these teammates develop their bond through a series of Saturday afternoon tea parties hosted by Julian at Sillington House. Their faculty adviser, Mrs. Olinski, uses a wheelchair following an automobile accident and struggles to understand why she instinctively chose these specific children for the team. As the group advances toward the state championship, the narrative unfolds through four distinct personal stories that explain how each child acquired specific pieces of trivia and how their family lives—involving weddings, sea turtle rescues, and grandparent relationships—intertwine.
This book serves middle-grade readers who enjoy intellectual puzzles and nonlinear storytelling. It appeals to children who feel like outsiders and find community through shared interests rather than social status. The reader gains an understanding of how individual experiences contribute to a collective success and how small acts of kindness foster resilience in both children and adults. By following the interconnected lives of The Souls, the audience walks away with a view of how historical knowledge and personal empathy function together to solve problems.
Clear-cut; an easy read.
Best for readers like The Story Seeker. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 1996
- Language
- EN
