SCHOOL SPIRIT

Soon after his election (Class President, 1990), having learned that his school may close next June, Julio begins a campaign to save it. He sees Jennifer as a potential ally but, unfortunately, she's ``like a steamroller....he hadn't realized that Jennifer could be so bossy and unpleasant.'' As she implements a slew of ideas—T-shirts, letters, songs, articles, an assembly—he's first angry and then feels ``as if he was just a big lump of nothing.'' Still, keeping the larger goal in mind, he works with her, makes his own contributions, and eventually restores his self-esteem. Julio is resourceful, responsible, creative, and thoughtful; his fifth grade did well to elect him. In her lively drawings, Dugan wisely retains the flavor established by Hamanaka in the earlier books about him. Rewarding light fare for readers moving into chapter books, or for less proficient older readers. (Fiction. 7-11)