“Derek Fallon — the underachiever star of two funny, perceptive books — returns, and this time he meets his match in Umberto, a new student who is in a wheelchair. At first it seems as if the two could be friends. Derek’s family is even training a capuchin monkey to be a service animal, and he can’t wait to tell Umberto about it. But after their first conversation, Derek realizes that sarcastic, flip Umberto doesn’t like him. In trying to defend himself, Derek is soon perceived as the kid bullying the boy in the wheelchair! Worst of all, Umberto is a cartoonist like Derek, but better. If all the Umberto travails weren’t enough, Derek’s crush, Carly, has started a relationship with an older boy, Crash. As with the other titles in the My Life As series, Tashjian’s son, Jake, provides the stick figures acting out the more difficult words and concepts. Great for reluctant readers (like Derek), this also neatly twists the bullying theme, offering discussion possibilities.” (Ilene Cooper, Booklist, starred review)