Gotcha! (review)

Richard doesn't need to study the predator/prey relationship in the context of a classroom lesson about spiders—he's already living it as the butt of Patrick the Pest's jokes. Whether making Richard yelp from the sting of a shot rubber band (and getting him into trouble), bloodying his nose, or just making him look foolish, Patrick, with his constant refrain of "Gotcha!", wears Richard out and makes him simmer with barely suppressed rage. When classroom teacher Mrs. Zookey pairs the two boys together as partners for a field trip, Richard steels himself for more abuse; then, a surprising opportunity to get Patrick presents itself, and Richard finds he's less interested in oneupmanship than in making sure his classmate doesn't drown. This latest adventure in Gilson's schoolroom series (It Goes Eeeeeeeeeeeee!, BCCB 5/94, and others) combines a canny ear for classroom interactions—particularly those that happen without the teacher noticing—with a light-hearted tone that moderates more serious issues like bullying. While the improvement of Richard's troubled relationship with Patrick is welcome if predictable, Gilson nevertheless remains true to Patrick's character by leaving him just as obnoxious (though less overtly violent) toward Richard as he was at the story's beginning. The loopily cheerful, one-note ink and watercolor illustrations suggest standard school-story fare; however, the deft management of dialogue—especially the juggling of the "official" class narrative between teacher and students with what's going on between students sometimes literally under the table—makes this accessible early chapter book remarkable.