The Burning Questions of Bingo Brown by Betsy Byars

From the Publisher

When Bingo has to keep a notebook for school, all he can come up with are questions. Like how could I fall in love with three girls in three minutes? But not even his teacher, Mr. Mark, has the answers. In fact Mr. Mark has been acting pretty weird lately, and he's getting weirder. Is there more wrong with Mr. Mark than Bingo can handle?

Publishers Weekly

Bingo Brown is one of Byars's most ingenuous and likable male characters since Junior Blossom. He is a fairly ordinary sixth grader, with a number of extraordinary questions, which he faithfully copies down in his journal. Three girls have won his heart, simultaneously, and so he is shuffling around, trying to understand the next phase of affection. But Bingo has other, more serious concerns: his favorite teacher has started to speak of a woman he loves in class, inviting opinions from the children, and asking, indirectly, for help that most of them are too young to give. Without resorting to the knee-slapping antics of her last few books, Byars relays Bingo's questions and his answers, in a way that is so believable that readers may wonder if there isn't a Bingo in their classrooms. Ages 8-12. (April)

School Library Journal

Gr 4-7 In the tradition of Cracker Jackson (Viking, 1985), Byars has created another humorous and poignant novel in which the main character is on the cusp. About to leave the comfort and security of childhood behind, sixth-grade Bingo Brown realizes that the coming years will be full of doubts and uncertainties. These he records as ``Burning Questions'' in his school journal. Bingo's concerns are far-ranging: how he fell in love three times during English class; how long it will be before the class Rambo, of whom he is terrified, discovers that he is moving next door to Bingo; and foremost, what exactly is wrong with his favorite teacher? Mr. Markham gives strange writing assignments, and the latest, to convince someone not to commit suicide, is disturbing. When Mr. Markham is involved in a motorcycle accident without his helmet, Bingo suspects a suicide attempt; the love of his parents and teachers help him to realize that Mr. Markham betrayed his students' trust and that Bingo's class, no matter how unconvincing their letters, is not responsible for his accident. Byars' accurate characterizations, developed through believable dialogue and fresh language, give this tremendous child appeal and read-aloud potential. Although Mr. Markham is somewhat of a mystery and therefore may command too much of readers' attention, and Byars' light handling of a serious subject may disturb some adults, there is no doubt that she has created another memorable and immensely likable hero who is learning how to appreciate and help himself when life threatens to be a ``personalized tornado.'' Ellen Fader, Westport Public Library, Conn.

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