Mr. Bambuckle: Class 12B Goes Wild

By Tim Harris

The students of class 12B and their wacky teacher are back at it again, this time they'll bring their fun and games to the great outdoors!

Mr. Bambuckle is taking his class camping! He's a teacher who always creates a good time wherever he goes—he lets his students eat marshmallows before dinner, and they discover all kinds of cool creatures in the wild!

But, the strict Miss Frost is now the assistant principal, and when she crashes their camping trip, class 12B will have to do something about it…

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sourcebooks
• Release date: Sep 3, 2019
• ISBN: 9781492685654

Tim Harris

Tim Harris has been fascinated by bird migration since as a young boy he witnessed Swallows flying in off the sea at Selsey Bill, while terns streamed past and recently arrived warblers sang from scrub. He has since been birding in more than 40 countries and has been inspired over and over again by the sights and sounds of migration on all the world's major migration flyways. Tim was Deputy Editor of Birdwatch magazine between 1992 and 2000. He contributed to National Geographic's Complete Birds of the World, and has written numerous articles and children's books about birds.

Book preview

Also by Tim Harris

Mr. Bambuckle: Rule the School

Mr. Bambuckle: Class 12B Fights Back

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Books. Change. Lives.

First published in the United States in 2019 by Sourcebooks

Copyright © 2018, 2019 by Tim Harris

Cover and internal design © 2019 by Sourcebooks

Cover art by James Hart

Illustrations © 2018, 2019 by James Hart

Sourcebooks and the colophon are registered trademarks of Sourcebooks, Inc.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems—except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews—without permission in writing from its publisher, Sourcebooks.

The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

All brand names and product names used in this book are trademarks, registered trademarks, or trade names of their respective holders. Sourcebooks, Inc., is not associated with any product or vendor in this book.

Published by Sourcebooks Young Readers, an imprint of Sourcebooks Kids

P.O. Box 4410, Naperville, Illinois 60567-4410

[phone]

sourcebookskids.com

Originally published in 2018 as Mr Bambuckle’s Remarkables Go Wild in Australia by Random House Australia Children’s, an imprint of Penguin Random House Australia. This edition issued based on the paperback edition published in 2018 in Australia by Random House Australia Children’s, an imprint of Penguin Random House Australia.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Harris, Tim, author. | Hart, James (Illustrator), illustrator.

Title: Mr. Bambuckle : class 12B goes wild / Tim Harris ; illustrated by James Hart.

Other titles: Mr. Bambuckle's Remarkables go wild | Class 12B goes wild

Description: Naperville, IL : Sourcebooks Young Readers, 2019. | Originally published in 2018 as Mr Bambuckle's Remarkables Go Wild in Australia by Random House Australia Children's, an imprint of Penguin Random House Australia. | Summary: The class in room 12B are having fun in the wilderness. Until Miss Frost crashes camp!-- Provided by publisher.

Identifiers: LCCN 2019021728 | (trade pbk. : alk. paper)

Subjects: | CYAC: Camping--Fiction. | School field trips--Fiction. | Teachers--Fiction. | Eccentrics and eccentricities--Fiction. | Behavior--Fiction. | Humorous stories.

Classification: LCC PZ7.1.H3748 Mv 2019 | DDC [Fic]--dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019021728

Contents

Front Cover

Title Page

Copyright

The Students of Room 12B

1. Birds and Buses

2. Around the Fire

The Suck-Up

3. Snap

4. Kindness and Teamwork

The Subtle Art of Catching Zs

5. The Challenge

Hide and Sneak

6. The Snow Crocus

7. Teamwork Charades

The Hit-Man Hairdresser

8. Packing Up

Back Cover

For Paul and Beth, two remarkable booksellers

1

Birds and Buses

The yellow bus rolled away from Blue Valley School with an air of excitement. Its driver, the much-loved Mr. Bambuckle, whistled a tune that matched the sparkle of his blue suit. While it was usual for the children to be taken away on a yearly camping trip, it was completely unusual that they knew nothing of this year’s destination. In this case, Mr. Bambuckle had been arranging the surprise for quite some time.

Do kindly close your eyes, said the charismatic teacher, for we will soon approach a section of the journey you mustn’t see.

The fifteen children obeyed without the slightest delay. They had come to learn their teacher operated in remarkable ways, and this was something they were beginning to relish.

You may now open your eyes, dear students, said Mr. Bambuckle.

That was quick, said Sammy Bamford, straightening his baseball cap.

Approximately nine seconds, said Albert Smithers, a blond-haired boy who wore glasses and liked to read a lot.

The bus passed beneath a stone bridge the children had never seen before. To the left wound a river, shimmering like diamonds in the afternoon sunlight. Thick forest lined the opposite bank.

Where are we? said Albert. I’ve studied every map of the Blue Valley region, and there are no stone bridges.

Mr. Bambuckle grinned. It’s amazing what you miss when you close your eyes for nine seconds. Dodger chose this location especially, you know.

Only days before, the secluded campsite the bus now chugged toward had been discovered by a lively blue jay—Mr. Bambuckle’s beloved pet, Dodger. The destination had been carefully selected to accommodate top secret schemes the teacher had been hatching.

I can’t believe you let a bird choose the campsite, said Miffy Armstrong.

There’s a good reason for it, explained the teacher. Dodger has the ability to locate GPS black spots.

GPS dreadlocks? said Harold McHagil. I’d like to see that.

He said black spots, you funny bunny, said Scarlett Geeves with a chuckle.

I’m confused, said Miffy. What do GPS black spots have to do with anything?

My dear Miffy, said Mr. Bambuckle, I would love to tell you more, but that would be taking away the fun of the chase. You’ll figure it out when the time comes.

The chase? Miffy shrugged her shoulders, though she could tell by her teacher’s tone that he was plotting something quite extraordinary. It sent a tingle down her spine, and as far as tingles go, this one was particularly delicious.

The bus slowed down and turned left, bumping over another stone bridge that crossed the river. The road straightened out and stretched deep into the forest. Albert adjusted his glasses and squinted outside, determined to find a landmark that sparked a map-reading memory.

The black asphalt soon turned to dirt, and the road curved around to the left, taking it back toward the river. The trees—tall and impressive—cast shadows that blinked over the windshield.

I need someone to take the wheel for a moment, said Mr. Bambuckle. Slugger, would you be so kind?

Slugger Choppers, a bulky boy with arms as thick as the trees outside, lumbered to the front of the bus. Me?

That’s right, Slugger. I believe you have experience.

Slugger’s mind flashed back to a few weeks earlier when he had taken advantage of a government typo that allowed anyone older than eight the same rights as eighteen-year-olds. He had spent an entire day behind the wheel of a forty-two-seat bus. Yeah, I can drive for you.

Mr. Bambuckle slid out from his seat and stood near the door while Slugger took control.

What’s happening? said Evie Nightingale, a small girl who was easily frightened.

I have an urgent matter to attend to, said Mr. Bambuckle. Slugger, would you please? He tapped the door.

Open it? said Slugger.

That’s right.

Slugger shrugged and pressed a button on the dash. Wipers suddenly swished across the windshield. Oops.

He tried another control.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, baby, you make my heart go wiiild.

That’s the radio, Slugger, said Mr. Bambuckle.

Slugger’s meaty fists fumbled over the dashboard as he punched yet another button. The toilet at the back of the bus flushed loudly. I’ll get it in a minute, he apologized.

Try the orange switch, said the teacher patiently.

The door swung open, and Mr. Bambuckle stepped out of the moving vehicle.

The students gasped.

Is he okay?

I can’t see him!

Where did he go?

Did we run over him?

Before they had time to fully register what had happened, Mr. Bambuckle stepped back onto the bus—seemingly out of thin air. All is well, dear children. It appears Dodger had flown into some difficulty.

The