The Spoon in the Bathroom Wall - Paperback

by Tony Johnston (Author)

Living in the Bloggins School boiler room isn't glamorous, but that's life for Martha Snapdragon, daughter of the beleaguered janitor. Life only gets weirder when Martha realizes bizarre events are afoot at the school. There's the dastardly dealings of evil principal Dr. Klunk and school bully Rufus. There's the dozen dancing eggs and the misbehaving dragons, property of the mysterious science teacher. And then there's the strangest thing of all: a giant golden spoon that simply appears one day, stuck in the wall of the school bathroom. Although everyone tries, only Martha is able to extract the spoon from the wall--an act that leads her to a destiny far beyond her meager life in the boiler room.

Tony Johnston's funny, magical story spoofs the legend of The Sword in the Stone--and conveys some poignant truths about teaching, leadership, and the responsibilities we have to one another.

Can a janitor's daughter with a knack for trouble become the hero her school needs?

• A Modern Sword in the Stone: A mysterious golden spoon appears in the boys' bathroom wall, and only one person has a chance of pulling it out: Martha Snapdragon.
• Wizards and Dragons: Martha's peculiar science teacher, Mrs. Ferlin, has more than just science experiments up her sleeve--including a carton of tap-dancing eggs that hatch into tiny, mischievous dragons.
• Facing Down Bullies: From the dastardly Principal Klunk to the class bully Rufus, Martha must find the courage to stand up for herself, her father, and the other kids at school.
• An Unlikely Friendship: To survive the school bully, Rufus, Martha has to get to the bottom of why he torments her, leading to a surprising truce.

Author Biography

TONY JOHNSTON's first novel for young readers, Any Small Goodness: A Novel of the Barrio, was voted a Children's Book of the Year by the Southern California Booksellers Association. Her many acclaimed picture books include The Worm Family and That Summer. She lives in San Marino, California.