Charlie Bumpers vs End of the Year

Charlie Bumpers vs. the End of the Year
Written by Bill Harley and illustrated by Adam Gustavson

It’s the end of an era! Since its debut, the Charlie Bumpers series, written by Grammy-Award-winning author Bill Harley, has been praised as “fast-paced” and “enjoyable,” with “naturally funny moments” (School Library Journal). Charlie Bumpers vs. the End of the Year ends the series on a high, warm-hearted note, celebrating friends and family, and making the best of a bad situation.

When Charlie learns that Hector’s family is moving back to Chile at the end of the year, he is crushed. With Tommy’s help, he immediately starts cooking up schemes to keep Hector here, including a campaign to get him selected as next year’s School Ambassador. (Surely Hector will have to stay, Charlie reasons, if he has such an important job.) As usual, Charlie’s schemes lead to one near-disaster after another.

But moving away from his friends turns out to be the least of Hector’s problems. Three mean boys have targeted him for bullying and are making his life miserable. Hector wants to solve the problem by himself, but Charlie and Tommy see that he needs help. They start a campaign to save Hector and to defeat “The Jerzollies of Darkness.”

“Narrated in a balance of warmhearted insight and wacky naiveté, Charlie’s life will resonate with readers trying to navigate the simple but realistic perils of elementary school. Making friends, getting along with siblings, avoiding trouble at school—these situations matter to young readers, and Harley captures these emotions with a light and humorous touch.” —Kirkus Reviews

Check out the whole Charlie Bumpers series here, and don’t miss the free, downloadable series poster! Read an excerpt of Charlie Bumpers vs. the End of the Year and hear Bill Harley’s song for the last book of the series. There also a teacher’s guide available (for this book and all the rest of the books in the series).

Sign Charlie Bumpers’ yearbook! If you’re a fan of Charlie Bumpers and want to share your favorite moments with Bill Harley’s fun and wacky books, comment below with your “good-bye.” We’ll be sharing everyone’s good-bye messages to Charlie as we reflect on the end of this wonderful series.

Get your copy of Charlie Bumpers vs. the End of the Year on Amazon or at your local library, indie bookstore, or Barnes & Noble!