Killing Mr Griffin

Mr Griffin is an English teacher so schools shouldn't have to struggle to make this move. His death is accidental the result of a kidnapping by vengeful pupils who think he delights in giving 'fail' grades. The contrasting cast-list makes it much less heavy than Nigel Hinton's Puffin Collision Course and allows some clever effects with shifting point-of-view and in developing 'rounded' characters from a stereotypical base. (Only Mark the psychopath fails to come off.) It's very long but, like most U.S. novels. an easy-flowing read. An impressive book with just a few minor flaws.