A backpack jammed full of non-essential stuff: Crusty candy wrappers! A stinky sock! Broken pencils! A crumpled comic book! His lack of focus leads to disappointments, and his teachers and his mom are increasingly concerned. His grades, which were never exactly stellar, are slipping, and Dakota is making excuses. Excuses like: So what is going on? Does Dakota get more homework than everyone else? Are teachers giving him confusing instructions and unrealistic deadlines? Or does to recall every assignment, can maintain focus and avoid distractions, and perhaps even reduce his mountain of missed work?      With encouragement, guidance, and concrete strategies from his mom and the school counselor, Dakota discovers he’s not a victim, his situation is not hopeless, he can impress his teachers, and he can improve his grades. But he has to adopt better homework habits, including having a designated homework spot, using color-coded binders, and creating a time-management chart. is Educators and group leaders can supplement the story with a downloadable The guide provides self-reflection questions and group activities to thoughtfully engage readers with the content and motivate them to embrace effective homework routines.      This is the first title in the series from award-winning author and school counselor Jennifer Licate. She is the author of the much-celebrated series that includes these popular titles: and