Arthur is overwhelmed with dread when he hears that his teacher is coming to stay at his house. But soon, Arthur discovers that Mr Ratburn is just like everyone else. Arthur thinks his problems are over, but when he gets an A on his test his friends start calling him a teacher's pet. In the end, Arthur and Mr Ratburn set the record straight.
When Arthur's mother learns that his teacher's roof has collapsed in a snowstorm, she invites Mr Ratburn to stay in their home. At first, Arthur worries about what Mr Ratburn will think of him. Later, labelled teacher's pet and ostracized by his classmates, he's more concerned about losing his friends. Mr Ratburn solves the problem, though, when he announces that he'll be moving on to the homes of his other students. Cartoon-style ink-and-watercolour pictures illustrate the story with style. Some children will be as surprised as D. W. to learn that the teacher doesn't live at school, while others will hardly recognize Mr Ratburn in jeans and a T-shirt. Though "adapted by Marc Brown from a teleplay by Joe Fallon," this is an entertaining addition to a popular series.