Armstrong & Charlie

Charlie Ross doesn’t want to start 6th grade, because if he starts it, he might finish it — which his older brother never got to do. Meanwhile, Armstrong Le Rois isn’t interested in being bussed to a new school, especially not one full of white kids. Over the course of the year, both boys struggle to find their places and connect with each other. They deal with their own challenges (Charlie is a rules follower and Armstrong is a rebel), the judgment of kids in their community, and the struggles of 6th grade: bullies, crushes, and unfair teachers. The boys finally come together during a school camping trip, but the challenges continue when Charlie’s Dad is mugged and Armstrong’s neighborhood mentor dies of old age. By the end of the year, the boys have discovered that they can find friendship despite everything. Set against the backdrop of 1970’s school integration, this PJ Our Way edition of Armstrong & Charlie explores a number of issues that are still highly relevant and resonant: racism, loss, and the power of family and friendship to help us endure our hardest moments.