This book is very helpful to my seventh grade students. I teach modified reading to students that have fallen behind their peers in reading. It is an easy read, being in letter form. It is written only from the viewpoint of the boy, Leigh Botts, so, it lends itself to talking about inferring what the author wrote in his letter to Leigh. Students also have many opportunities to predict what will be the next problem Leigh has. The lunch thief part of the book can show cause and effect.