THE KID WHO RAN FOR PRINCIPAL

A somewhat heavy-handed story about a sixth-grade girl who runs for school principal. Bonnie Mann has always been a ""good girl""--she does what she's told, she's dependable, and she rarely steps out of line. So when her school principal suddenly dies, Bonnie allows a bossy classmate to talk her into running for the job of interim principal (according to the Board of Education bylaws, it's perfectly legal, if unorthodox). Bonnie soon finds herself swept along by a tide of events she can't control, but also eventually gets her bearings and, to everyone's surprise, wins the election. Unfortunately, this is a classic case of the plot overwhelming the story. Morris' motives for writing the book--to introduce children to the nature of politics and the democratic process--are sincere, but the result is uneven at best and at worst just plain boring. Bonnie is fairly well developed as a character, but most of the others seem flat. Despite all this, though, Morris is a capable writer; the story chugs along, even picking up speed toward the end; and there are flashes of both humor and genuine emotion. Perhaps her next effort will be a little more spontaneous, a little less didactic.