The Teacher's Funeral: A Comedy in Three Parts (2004) by Ricard Peck is a novel that begins with an unexpected line: "If your teacher has to die, August isn't a bad time of year for it." Set in 1904, The Teacher's Funeral follows a young man named Russell Culver, who is growing up on an Indiana farm with his family—a farm which he is making plans to leave so that he can travel to the Dakotas. The only thing keeping him in Indiana, however, is his teacher. But if he is gone, then the school will inevitably shut down, leaving Russell to his own devices. Russel tries to make his teacher's life as hard as possible (and ultimately tries to kill him), but the school never shuts down, leaving him to deal with the reality of his life.
Prior to the publication of The Teacher's Funeral, Peck wrote a number of well-received books. Peck's streak continued. The Teacher's Funeral received exceptionally positive reviews upon its publication. Kirkus Reviews wrote a glowing review of the novel. They said, "Laugh-out-loud scenes beg to be read aloud in this masterfully crafted ode to a strong teacher and a bygone era." Other reviewers praised Peck's historical accuracy, attention to detail, and the world he created.
