Michael A. Woodward / Michael AWoodward
Ten-year-old Monte has always been surrounded by his best friends: kids who look like him, live near him, and go to class with him. But when his mother pushes him into the school’s honors program, Monte feels like he’s stumbled into a whole new world, and despite the fancy calculators and college banners, he’s still not sure this world is better than the one he left behind. One thing that’s certainly different, is Monte’s fourth grade teacher who’s unlike any teacher he’s ever had - he’s a black male. Monte must decide if succeeding in the honors program is worth the effort - and the risk of failure. Even more importantly, he must convince his old friends that he’s still there for them after the school bell rings, when they all head back to the south side neighborhood and the challenges that await them around each corner. In a potent blend of realism and hope, Michael Woodward, Jr.’s King Monte: Are You My P.E. Teacher? illustrates a talented African American child’s struggle to find the right role models, conquer self-doubt, and change not just his own life but the lives of the people he loves.
