There's a thief in town, and all signs point to twelve-year-old Charlie Drinkwater. Once you spontaneously morph into a giant mutant dinosaur in the middle of the school day, people will suspect you of just about anything. Charlie's principal decides that all he needs is a little discipline, so they make him join the swim team. The only problem is, Charlie is terrified of the water. (He's terrified of a lot of things.) Charlie and his friends vow to apprehend the real criminal and clear Charlie's name. Otherwise he’ll have to stay on the swim team for the rest of his life or eternity—whichever comes first.
“The amiable drollery…carries it a long way.”—The New York Times on Boy or Beast
"A masterful mix of humor, mystery, and school-related problems. . . . Charlie is a likable and believable character who will appeal to reluctant readers." — School Library Journal
“Bob Balaban does it all (really he does). He directs, acts and writes funny (really he does). In my opinion, this book is a monsterpiece." — Henry Winkler
"Bob Balaban knows this world so well...you might think this actually happened to him...read it and you’ll see!" — Whoopi Goldberg
“A very funny and insightful exploration of what it means to be the REAL you.” — Julianne Moore
"The amiable drollery of The Creature From the Seventh Grade carries it a long way." — The New York Times
There's a thief in town, and all signs point to twelve-year-old Charlie Drinkwater. Once you spontaneously morph into a giant mutant dinosaur in the middle of the school day, people will suspect you of just about anything. Charlie's principal decides that all he needs is a little discipline, so they make him join the swim team. The only problem is, Charlie is terrified of the water. (He's terrified of a lot of things.) Charlie and his friends vow to apprehend the real criminal and clear Charlie's name. Otherwise he’ll have to stay on the swim team for the rest of his life or eternity—whichever comes first.
“The amiable drollery…carries it a long way.”—The New York Times on Boy or Beast
Praise
"A masterful mix of humor, mystery, and school-related problems. . . . Charlie is a likable and believable character who will appeal to reluctant readers." — School Library Journal
“Bob Balaban does it all (really he does). He directs, acts and writes funny (really he does). In my opinion, this book is a monsterpiece." — Henry Winkler
"Bob Balaban knows this world so well...you might think this actually happened to him...read it and you’ll see!" — Whoopi Goldberg
“A very funny and insightful exploration of what it means to be the REAL you.” — Julianne Moore
"The amiable drollery of The Creature From the Seventh Grade carries it a long way." — The New York Times
