Marianne is turning into a daydreamer in class, drifting back through her memories of happier times, and falling way behind in her schoolwork. Despite her father's efforts, the months since Marianne's mother died have been one long stretch of loneliness and hurting. Like her friend Jack, who's a good student but an incurable clown, Marianne has almost lost hope of becoming a Wizard — one of the kids who excel in class, help the school staff, and get special privileges. Then Marianne begins to find the love she's been missing. She gets a puppy, and then, and best of all, her dad makes a new friend, Lacy. It feels just like they're a family when they're all together. If only she and Jack could make the Wizards... Jack — one of Barthe DeClements's most loved and endearing characters — is back, in this prequel to the award-winning Nothing's Fair in Fifth Grade . In The Fourth Grade Wizards , Ms. Declements returns to the setting of her most popular books to tell another funny, warm, and appealing story.