Mr. Terupt Falls Again

Mr. Terupt Falls Again is part of a four-book series centered around Mr. Terupt and the students in his class. This second book in the series takes its title from the main event in Because of Mr. Terupt: Book 1. The main focus of this book is Mr. Terupt’s fall after being hit in the head by a snowball Peter throws: Mr. Terupt collapses and spends time in a coma. The assumption inherent in the title in Mr. Terupt Falls Again is that he will experience another injury, and this is foreshadowed in the health problems some of the students, particularly Luke, notice. It turns out, however, that it is a play on words as the falling Mr. Terupt really does is falling in love.

Mr. Terupt Falls Again: Book 2 is a standalone novel, but some of the novel’s plot points are begun in Book 1. One of these is Mr. Terupt’s head injury. Mr. Terupt makes it clear that he does not hold Peter accountable, but Peter spends much of Book 2 feeling guilty about what happened. It is not until the end of the second novel that he is able to find some forgiveness and peace. Another theme that is continued from Book 1 is that of mean girls. Lexie acts as a mean girl in Book 1, going so far as to destroy some of the other girls’ friendships. This is referenced numerous times in Book 2, as Lexie is glad she is no longer that person. Danielle’s family is a third topic that begins in Book 1. Danielle’s parents do not approve of Anna and her mom because Anna was conceived out of wedlock. By the end of Book 1, Danielle’s parents have come to accept Anna and Terri, but it is not until the end of Book 2 that her grandparents come to accept the mother and daughter.

The story of Mr. Terupt and the students, now in junior high, continues in Saving Mr. Terupt: Book 3. Some of the topics begun in earlier books are continued here, such as the relationship between Terri and Danielle’s brother and Peter and Jeffrey’s wrestling. New problems come along, such as the bullying of Luke, and Danielle feeling ill. The series ends with Goodbye, Mr. Terupt: Book 4. In this novel, Mr. Terupt works as an advisor to the students who are all still together. They create a bucket list to make the year memorable.