The main character in this story is Wally Zeringue, a brilliant but crazy English teacher who has been nicknamed "Bayou Da Vinci" by his students. In class, the unconventional Mr. Zeringue leads his student apostles in the study of a wide range of literary texts (everything from Dr. Seuss to Shakespeare). Mr. Zeringue's unique insights and lines of inquiry often challenge the students' (and the readers') superficial preconceptions of our modern world.​