Ms. Bixby's Last Day

Written by John David Anderson

Narrated by Jesse Bernstein, Ramon de Ocampo and Maxwell Glick

New York Times Book Review Editor's Choice

A funny, heartwarming, and heartbreaking contemporary story about three boys, one teacher, and a day none of them will ever forget.

“Kids won’t just love this book. They need it.” —Soman Chainani, New York Times bestselling author of The School for Good and Evil

“Each page crackles as we embark on the greatest adventure of all.” —Gary D. Schmidt, Newbery Honor winner and author of Okay for Now

Everyone knows there are different kinds of teachers. The boring ones, the mean ones, the ones who try too hard, the ones who stopped trying long ago. The ones you’ll never remember, and the ones you want to forget. Ms. Bixby is none of these. She’s the sort of teacher who makes you feel like school is somehow worthwhile. Who recognizes something in you that sometimes you don’t even see in yourself. Who you never want to disappoint. What Ms. Bixby is, is one of a kind.

Topher, Brand, and Steve know this better than anyone. And so when Ms. Bixby unexpectedly announces that she won’t be able to finish the school year, they come up with a risky plan—more of a quest, really—to give Ms. Bixby the last day she deserves. Through the three very different stories they tell, we begin to understand what Ms. Bixby means to each of them—and what the three of them mean to each other.

John David Anderson is the author of Sidekicked and The Dungeoneers, proven winners with middle grade readers, and Ms. Bixby's Day is no exception.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Jun 21, 2016
• ISBN: 9780062470171

John David Anderson

John David Anderson is the author of more than a dozen acclaimed and beloved books for kids, including the New York Times Notable Book Ms. Bixby’s Last Day, Posted, Granted, One Last Shot, Stowaway, The Greatest Kid in the World, Keep It Like a Secret, and many more. A dedicated root beer connoisseur and chocolate fiend, he lives with his wonderful wife, two frawesome kids, and a pair of mischievous kitties in Indianapolis, Indiana. You can visit him online at johndavidanderson.org.

Reviews for Ms. Bixby's Last Day

[Tracy Challis · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is funny, tender, uproarious, tragic, and worth reading. I loved it.

[jihye · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is just so sappy sad and happy!
I just love John David Anderson's books~

[Tanzee · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Heartwarming, a reminder of the good teachers do for us

[Kristen Shook · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is sad and heart breaking it is a very good book but i almost cried at the end of it it is such a great book for kids. And a great role model

[Chris Roberts · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved it it was so great. The best, AWESOME

[Sarah Stabenow · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Okay, that is all I can say about this book.

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[Anna Thomas · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

First,chapter I love this book! Strange, but I love it!

[cheryl_in_cc_nv · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Well, the beginning is trite. And the whole concept panders to those who consider themselves 'good teachers' and will buy the book for their students. And there's plenty of discussion themes, and bibliotherapy tags. Also it's full of stuff that will alert those who want to keep interesting books away from kids, so it will get on Banned Books lists, giving it more notice and cachet. So, cynical me says it's overrated.

But. It's engaging, and original, and gets better and better until the end at which point I'd fallen under its spell. Anderson knows boys. He knows how to write. He knows how to use science, classic culture, and pop culture references to make a book that will have appeal to any audience, now or in the future. So, avid reader me says it's a delight.

Recommended to anyone who is a boy, was a boy, ever knew a boy, or has had a good teacher.

[lee.gabel · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is an important book for young readers, and specifically young male readers. The story offers three distinct views of how young males deal with the death of someone important to them. By doing so, it helps the reader form their own way of coping with terminal illness. Lead by example, and this book does just that. The common thread for everyone who reads this book is we all have experienced a teacher like Ms. Bixby (one of "the good ones") and that makes the story accessible to all.

[robinsonstef · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Brand, Steve, and Topher are all in Ms. Bixby‘s sixth grade classroom. Steve and Topher have been friends since the first grade when they met playing Legos. Brand has only been at their school since last year, but they formed a fast friendship. Their teacher, Ms. Bixby has touched their lives through moments that made them feel special and important. Moments nobody else knows about. So they take it hard when they find out that Ms. Bixby has pancreatic cancer and won’t be finishing out the school year. She tells them when her last day will be and the class plans a big party. Unfortunately, Ms. Bixby doesn’t come to school the next week and they learn she won’t be back, not even for the party. The boys devise a plan to do something special for their teacher. Their plan changes after they overhear that she's moving from the hospital in Boston to a treatment facility out of state. They've never skipped school before, but they make a foolproof plan. What'd they decide to do? Let’s just say it involves an expensive cheesecake, some wine, a scary man named Hazel, books, and buses. Will they pull off the special events they've planned? Is it possible to give someone a perfect day? How can they pay for their teacher’s favorite cheesecake when they learn it costs a lot more than they'd thought? You’ll have to read this tearjerker to find out.

Ms. Bixby‘s Last Day by John David Anderson is the first book I’ve read by this author. Being told from three different characters’ points of view gives readers a good idea about what’s happening in each scene. The characters are unique and different, but all still friends. Some things that happened in the story I could see kids getting in a lot of trouble for! The cheesecake plays an important role in the book and I went from wanting a piece- to maybe not wanting a piece. I loved that Miss Bixby was caring and made a connection with the boys (and I’m sure many others). It’s always wonderful when kids feel special and think a teacher is singling them out for something they’re good at or appreciating one of their personality traits. Honestly, I’m not sure how many teachers would want their students visiting them when they’re at a hospital getting ready for major surgery, but the end of the book was touching and definitely made me cry. I think a lot of adults will appreciate all the references to movies that were taking place in the 70s and 80s, like The Godfather and The Princess Bride. I would recommend this book to anyone in fourth grade and up who likes realistic fiction and reading books from different character perspectives. Although this book has laughter and sadness, there’s also a lot of action.

[mcorbink · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wow ! awesome ! This was an amazingly poignant book about a teacher, her students, and life in general. Fantastic !

[ewyatt_16 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Topher, Brand, and Steve make up an unlikely group of friends. They take turns telling their story of giving Ms. Bixby's, a teacher who has impacted all their lives, a perfect last day after she is too ill to continue the school year. The plan challenges them and through their trials, the reader gets to learn their backstories and experiences with the remarkable teacher.

[brangwinn · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Yes, you’ll cry at the end of this book but, you’ll also cheer and three good friends take off to visit their 6th grade teacher whose last-stage pancreatic cancer has forced her to take a leave from her teaching. Along the way, you’ll see how three very different boys have had their lives changed by a very special teacher. Their efforts to show her how much she meant to them are almost heroic in their planning and execution. Ms. Bixby is the kind of teacher who may leave your life, but she will never be forgotten.

[aliceap-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I had a feeling that John David Anderson's Ms. Bixby's Last Day would be an emotional rollercoaster from the first couple of pages. The chapters alternate between the points of view of three middle school boys who are best friends. They have very different personalities but one thing they have in common is that Ms. Bixby is their favorite teacher. One of the best things about this book is that it shows that you never quite know what another person is going through and that each person has a unique set of abilities and talents. I think this is a particularly important message for middle grade readers because this is the time where you start feeling awkward, misunderstood, and alienated from your peers (and oftentimes your family). Adolescence can be difficult enough but it can be made even more so if your world is completely turned upside down. That's exactly what happens when these boys (and the rest of the school) discover that Ms. Bixby will have to leave school suddenly due to illness. The book focuses on how each of the boys reacts to the news and follows them on an epic quest to make Ms. Bixby's last day in town one that is made of pure awesomeness. This is one of those books that parents would probably think is 'too harsh' or 'too sad' for kids to read and that is exactly why kids should read it. Life isn't always sunshine and roses. Sometimes things are sad and challenging and it's important that kids see that this happens just as often as the fun, silly times. Another thing to point out is that these are 3 middle school boys who are not afraid to show their emotions and to be vulnerable. This is a fantastic message! I enjoyed this book so much that I picked up another book by John David Anderson which is on a very different wavelength (it's about superheroes) and I'll be posting that review up in a few weeks. Ms. Bixby's Last Day gets a 10/10 from me.

PS Make sure your seat-belt is tightened for the emotional rollercoaster you're about to be on if you embark on this book. You have been warned.

[acargile-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A realistic fiction novel, Ms. Bixby’s Last Day will take you on a quest of the heart.


Three boys--Topher, Brand, and Steve--have a really good teacher and want to make her last day special. They call Ms. Bixby a “good one;” in other words, a good teacher. She was supposed to have a party on her last day, but she has to go into the hospital instead. After telling her students that she has pancreatic cancer, she thinks she can return one more day, but the doctors want to immediately begin treatment. The boys decide that they need to see her one more time and give her a small party.


They work together to plan their day. They will have to skip school, ride public transportation, and purchase her gifts before actually making it to the hospital. In this journey, they learn why Ms. Bixby is important to each of them. Each boy has his own quirks. Steve is a genius but can’t always understand the emotions. He feels like he doesn’t live up to his parents’ expectations because his sister seems to outshine him. Topher is the “typical” boy who has been Steve’s best friend for years and enjoys goofing off. Brand has a much more difficult life. His father is disabled, so Brand spends his time taking care of him and seems to have more survival skills. Each contributes to the day--either planning or dealing with problems that arise.


This is a good novel to do in a book club or as a read aloud. If you like sad stories, definitely read this one. Ms. Bixby is a great representation of teachers. The boys show so much heart in their gifts and their journey as they overcome problems throughout. The characters are 6th graders and attend elementary school, so there may be some disconnect with the characters.

[abigailadams26 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Three sixth-graders are dismayed when they learn that their teacher, Ms. Bixby, has been diagnosed with cancer and must leave school before the end of the year in this humorous and heartwarming middle-grade novel. One of the 'good ones,' teachers who "make the torture otherwise known as school somewhat bearable," Ms. Bixby has had a great impact on the lives of Topher, Steve and Brand, and the trio of friends sets out to give her an ideal last day, complete with all of the trimmings. Things never go quite as planned, of course, and as the boys skip school to make Ms. Bixby's last day a reality, they encounter numerous unexpected complications, from the cost of white-chocolate raspberry cheesecake, to the duplicity of adults who promise to help kids buy bottles of wine. In the end, although it doesn't look quite as they imagined, that last day has great meaning, both for the boys and for their teacher.

Alternating in perspective between Topher, Steve and Brand, who each have chapters told from their viewpoint, Ms. Bixby's Last Day does an excellent job in slowly building a picture of its eponymous figure, as seen through the eyes of the three boys. Flashbacks reveal the many ways that she helped each one of them, whether it was to encourage them to build upon their strengths - Topher's talent as an artist, Brand's budding interest in literature and his perseverance in the face of hardship - or to see the larger picture, as when she stands up to Steve's academics-obsessed father, emphasizing the importance of growing as a person, in addition to obtaining knowledge. The reader gets to know this remarkable teacher through the memories of three of her most devoted pupils, making the conclusion of the book (which I did not expect) all the more heartbreaking. Recommended to me by a co-worker, Ms. Bixby's Last Day was an immensely rewarding read. I felt that Anderson created three very real boys, each of whom felt like an individual, and demonstrated both their strengths and weaknesses, as well as their essential goodheartedness. Highly recommended to anyone looking for contemporary school stories featuring characters who grow and change throughout the story.

[brainannex · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I kind of just want to hug this book a little bit and then give it to every teacher and every student ever. Just read it.