Illustrations by Gay Haff Kovach

Howie McDougal finds school boring, especially with strict Miss Lail, who taught his father.  Then there's the tattletale Carolyn with her 'boing, boing" curls.  When Howie uses his imagination to escape his humdrum life, trouble breaks out.  To top that off, his friends nickname him "Whopper."  With his teacher, friends, and parents ganging up against him, he's left with only his hamster "Friday."  Even that relationship sours before Howie is able to turn aside his nickname and regain former friendships. He gets a new lease on life when a surprise school visit by an author teaches him how to turn his daydreams into something creative.