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3.45 AVERAGE
3.45 AVERAGE
Great book for boys, especially ones who do not want to read. I think my favorite thing in the book was the illustrated vocabulary words, and it's an idea I'm going to steal as my kids get older. I was a little annoyed that in the end it was acceptable to his teacher that he didn't do all of his work, but at the same time appreciate the message that he put in extra work on the one book (so quality over quantity). I think most boys would enjoy it.
It made us laugh; it made me cry. The boy and I give it five stars. My girl gives it four.
Interesting story. It wasn't exactly what I thought it would be. Derek was quite a handful.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book follows Derrick - a boy who HATES reading and struggles with impulse control - through his summer. We see him find every excuse not to do his summer reading, while also exploring a mysterious story about a girl who drowned in Martha's Vineyard years ago.
As an adult, I read through this book in about an hour to preview it before adding to my classroom library. The characters seem fun and relatable - especially to upper elementary and lower middle school boys. I wasn't a fan of the ending that essentially tells all the lessons the main character - and in turn the reader - learned from his summer experiences. Other than that, I enjoyed the book and thought the sketches of vocabulary words in the margins were a fantastic tie-in to the story as well as a creative (and sneaky!) way to teach some new vocab!
As an adult, I read through this book in about an hour to preview it before adding to my classroom library. The characters seem fun and relatable - especially to upper elementary and lower middle school boys. I wasn't a fan of the ending that essentially tells all the lessons the main character - and in turn the reader - learned from his summer experiences. Other than that, I enjoyed the book and thought the sketches of vocabulary words in the margins were a fantastic tie-in to the story as well as a creative (and sneaky!) way to teach some new vocab!
The main character in this book is terrible. No respect for others or his parents and they have no discipline. Talks back to his teacher! No thank you.
I would heartily recommend this to boys in grades 4-8, even those who struggle with reading. I really enjoyed the main character, and think he's very relatable. I also liked the format of the illustrations in the margins that are actually the character's illustrations of his vocabulary words. A good read.
Muahahahahaha...I love how this book discreetly teaches readers new vocabulary words through witty drawings.
Like the little vocabulary drawings and the voice of the narrator as he struggles to get through a summer of educational camp and wondering about the babysitter who drowned while taking care of him as a baby.
Sortoof an odd mix of humor and serious topic, but it mostly works.
Sortoof an odd mix of humor and serious topic, but it mostly works.