AIRI SANO, PRANKMASTER GENERAL

Airi uses every trick she knows to test her new teacher’s limits.

Airi Sano often gets in trouble with adults because she likes to pull pranks, but she just wants to make people laugh. As part of an Army family, Japanese American Airi’s moved around a lot, and she’s always felt misunderstood and left out. Now that they’re settling in Hawaii, where her dad is from (her mom is from Japan), she’s excited at the prospect of making real friends but less thrilled about starting sixth grade. Airi tries to get her teacher to see that she’s a lost cause, but Mrs. Ashton never gets angry with her. A prank war ensues—documented through Airi’s Official Personal Personnel File as well as incident reports, situation reports, maps, and footnotes—and Airi enlists the help of her new friends to get Mrs. Ashton to snap. Airi’s feisty attitude and love for joking around lighten this clever story that is full of laughs, family, and friendship. Her difficulties in school and diagnosis of dyslexia touch on struggles and feelings many readers experience. Numerous sweet black-and-white illustrations add to the fun, showing lively scenes, food, and more. The supporting cast represents the diversity of Honolulu.

A hilarious, charming story full of humor and mischief.