Flying Solo by Ralph Fletcher

When the substitute for Mr. Fabiano's class never shows up, his sixth grade students are left on their own. Wanting to prove that they can run the class by themselves, they decide not to let anyone know that they are teacherless for the day. With a little bit of careful planning, things might go off without a hitch. But a fight breaks out between Bastian Fauvell and Rachel White over a classmate, Tommy Feathers, who died six months earlier. Rachel has communicated only by writing notes since Tommy's death, the class hasn't dealt with Tommy's absence, and now everything is falling apart. The school day isn't over yet. Will Mr. Fab's class keep flying solo, or crash?