I Thought I Was a Bad Kid is a fictional story following the main character, Trudy Buckman. Trudy is a young boy who has already been labeled "a bad kid" all before his third-grade year of school. His parents, friends, and the sweet lunch lady Mrs. Debbie all see the good in Trudy, but not the teachers. He has already had bad experiences with several of his teachers, especially his second-grade teacher, Mrs. Pootelli.
Trudy is fully expecting his third-grade year to be as unpleasant as all of his other school years, but he is in for a surprise. There is a new third grade teacher in town, Mrs. Grand, and she is about to change the way Trudy sees teachers and the way he sees himself forever. This story follows Trudy's first day of his third-grade year, jumps forward to the middle and end of that year, and then we hear from Trudy as an adult. If you are a teacher and want to be encouraged, read this book. If you are a student and want to be encouraged, read this book. I guarantee if you read this book you will fall in love with Trudy's story, and you will have a new outlook on those students that are labeled "bad."