The Janitor's Boy

When Jack Rankin is publicly embarrassed by his father, the school janitor, his act of revenge results in him having to assist his father after school for three weeks. The work is tedious and humiliating, but Jack discovers some surprising secrets about his father--and himself.

IT WAS THE PERFECT CRIME

Unfortunately, it also led to the perfect punishment. When Jack Rankin gets busted for defacing a school desk with a huge wad of disgusting, watermelon bubble gum, the principal sentences him to three weeks of after-school gum cleanup for the chief custodian. The problem is, Jack's anger at the chief custodian was the reason for his gum project in the first place. The chief custodian happens to be Jack's dad.

But doing time in the school basement after hours reveals some pretty surprising things: about the school, about Jack's father, and about Jack himself.