Synopses & Reviews
When one boy waffles back and forth, it’s going to take a few little kids–and one pet rat–to get him to finally make a decision. Monty is a waffler–he can never make up his mind, which always gets him in trouble. But when each student in his fourth-grade class is assigned a kindergarten buddy, Monty takes some left-out kindergarteners under his wing, even though it’s against the rules to have more than one buddy. When his blended family and his teachers find out, they give him an ultimatum: choose just one buddy, or have none at all. That stinks! On top of that, his beloved pet rat escapes, and his twin sister stops speaking to him! Monty doesn’t want to cast away his new friends, but he needs to come to a decision before everything spins out of control. With laugh-out-loud humor reminiscent of Andrew Clements, Donovan gets the agony–and the tremendous fun–of elementary school perfectly.
Review
In Memory of Gorfman T. Frog was named a New York Public Library Best Books for Children, and
What's Bugging Bailey Blecker was a Horn Book back-to-school recommended title.
Review
"A solid middle-grade choice—no waffling necessary." - Kirkus Reviews
Synopsis
Meet fifth-grader Josh—an irrepressible motormouth, always in trouble. His ordinary troubles grow wildly out of control when he brings a mutant frog he has found to school, and it seems everyone is on his case—parents, teacher, classmates, even the lunch ladies! When the frog is confi scated by the principal, Josh organizes the school to do what he knows is right. Heartwarming and hilarious, this novel by a major new talent will have kids cheering.
A Classroom Guide to In Memory of Gorfman T. Frog by Gail Donovan
Synopsis
Life with his little brother, Fudge, makes Peter Hatcher feel like a fourth grade nothing. Whether Fudge is throwing a temper tantrum in a shoe store, smearing mashed potatoes on the walls at Hamburger Heaven, or trying to fly, hes never far from trouble. Hes an almost three-year-old terror who gets away with everything, and Peters had it up to here!
When Fudge walks off with Dribble, Peters pet turtle, its the last straw. Peter has put up with Fudge for too long. Way too long! How can he get his parents to pay attention to him for a change?
"It is a pleasure to watch a talented author like Judy Blume consistently create books that reflect a remarkable ability for combining humor with a perceptive insight into a childs world." - Publishers Weekly
Synopsis
For fifth-grader Bailey Blecker, a classwide case of head lice is the worst thing that could happen. She's been growing her hair to donate, and she's
determined (or stubborn, as her mom calls it) not to cut it until it's long and lice free enough to be useful. But lice are only the beginning of Bailey's troubles, and in this classroom comedy, the solution is full of twists and tangles.
With pitch-perfect dialogue, the right amount of humor and sympathy, lots of action, and an unfortunately familiar problem, this middle-grade comedy will leave kids itching for more.
Synopsis
When one boy waffles back and forth, it’s going to take a few little kids–and one pet rat–to get him to finally make a decision. Monty is a waffler–he can never make up his mind, which always gets him in trouble. But when each student in his fourth-grade class is assigned a kindergarten buddy, Monty takes some left-out kindergarteners under his wing, even though it’s against the rules to have more than one buddy. When his blended family and his teachers find out, they give him an ultimatum: choose just one buddy, or have none at all. That stinks! On top of that, his beloved pet rat escapes, and his twin sister stops speaking to him! Monty doesn’t want to cast away his new friends, but he needs to come to a decision before everything spins out of control. With laugh-out-loud humor reminiscent of Andrew Clements, Donovan gets the agony–and the tremendous fun–of elementary school perfectly.
About the Author
Gail Donovan lives with her family in Portland, Maine, where she works in a school library. Like Monty, Gail is a twin, and her twin sister currently lives on a boat as she sails around the world. Gail’s previous books include
In Memory of Gorfman T. Frog, which was named a "New York Public Library Best Books for Children," and
What’s Bugging Bailey Blecker?, a "Horn Book back-to-school recommended title."