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3.84 AVERAGE
3.84 AVERAGE
This story has some good lessons for children to learn but was written a bit basically for me to promote to my class.
An especially good book for discussion with young readers.
We are all capable of goodness and Bradley Chalkers is proof of that. I read this aloud to my 3rd graders for the first time this year...we loved it. We cried together. This book demonstrates that everyone has goodness inside them and that it's up to us to find it and help them show that. Highly recommend.
I used this book as a novel study with my 4th grade class. It had broad appeal with students of diverse reading interests. This is in large part because the characters and situations are so relatable for kids in upper elementary. While there are a few places where the story can seem a little dated it makes for interesting discussions about how the students lives are different from those in the book. I will 100% use this book again.
I don't know why but I don't like this book. it makes me angry every time I read it and confused. I am probably NOT the audience for this book as I am a black 16-year-old, but I was forced to read this book for AP lang and comp. who knows why my god forsaken pedo teacher made my class read this book and think we were going to worship it like God, maybe some might but I wont. I don't learn anything in this class, yet here i am forced to read a book about a boy who is acting out and is begging for attention to notice he is struggling, and a no good family who can give two shits about him but yet he "falls in love" with his therapist and it helps him .....??? what. I should be learning about what the fuck a rethorical analysis essay is for a test in may that can give me a college credit, but here i am reading this book. This book makes me angry. I don't know why. I hate the writing in this badly. 'oh but the author made Holes' said my classmates. I. Dont. Care.???? why would I, would that change my opinion about this book. NO. Also my teacher gave this long speech about how now and days this title of the book would be problematic and we have to put it into the mindset of the 1990's, i thought this was like some book about being queer and the 90s but nope. I did enjoy the ending because I'm a sucker for happy ends but my goddamn 3 hours of reading this book needs to be brought back. i could've been learning about to how form a fucking option for my essay but no, here i am reading this and being forced to write an essay about it that shes going to mark wrong SOMEWAYYY.
it's a awsome book the title does not make sence till the end and in some bits are funny some bits sad but over all a great book
I've read this book for the 2015 Reading Challenge posted on http://9gag.com/gag/a8bQeNe.
Category: A book from your childhood
This book is a good example that no one can understand each other perfectly, we don’t know their motives, we don’t know the things that drive them. Under the skin of a monster can dwell a beautiful, fragile creature, who is afraid of being broken; and of course under the skin of a gentleman can lie a monster waiting for its next prey. We cannot explore them, we’re not capable for that, albeit we can discover ourselves. And we should, because eventually we will believe the lie that we tell and show to everyone. We will only know what’s outside and forget what’s inside.
I’ve chosen this book, because this was – if I remember correctly – the first book I’ve ever read. I remembered that it was very great, but forget how great. Reading this more than a decade (12 years to be exact) later I can say I understand not just Bradley, but also Carla, Jeff and everyone else. Who knows what will I think of it another decade (or 12 years) later…
Category: A book from your childhood
This book is a good example that no one can understand each other perfectly, we don’t know their motives, we don’t know the things that drive them. Under the skin of a monster can dwell a beautiful, fragile creature, who is afraid of being broken; and of course under the skin of a gentleman can lie a monster waiting for its next prey. We cannot explore them, we’re not capable for that, albeit we can discover ourselves. And we should, because eventually we will believe the lie that we tell and show to everyone. We will only know what’s outside and forget what’s inside.
I’ve chosen this book, because this was – if I remember correctly – the first book I’ve ever read. I remembered that it was very great, but forget how great. Reading this more than a decade (12 years to be exact) later I can say I understand not just Bradley, but also Carla, Jeff and everyone else. Who knows what will I think of it another decade (or 12 years) later…
I read this book as the first read-aloud every year that I have an extra home room time with my 6th graders. I love how Bradley Chalkers grows throughout the book and I think it helps kids to take another look at those kids that nobody seems to like. There is food in all of us!
emotional
funny
inspiring
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
I absolutely devoured this one in one evening!!! We're studying this in the Year 4 class I teach, so I wanted to read it before our half term break next week, but I didn't expect to become so invested so quickly!!
Bradley Chambers is the most hated boy in school, to everyone except for his new counsellor Carla. After Carla arrives at school, things start to change for Bradley and for others around him. But are they changing because of her, or something within themselves?...
I felt so so emotional while reading this book. The amount of times I wanted to shout at a character from anger, or comfort another. The despair, the hope, the happiness. Louis Sachar really is a master of emotion. He gets into the character's inner feelings and motivations, really helping us to see them for who they are.
It was also so deeply hilarious! Not in an unnecessary way either, how I find some modern children's books are, with too much toilet humour! The (girl's bathroom) humour (😂) in this one was used in a masterful way, often bringing our character's intentions and emotions. Such as the book Bradley is reading, and some of his hilarious discussions with Carla. It adds to the plot rather than detracting from it.
Sachar has a thorough understanding of the character's (and particularly Bradley's) motivations. What makes him tick, why does he not listen in class, why does he hate everyone, why does he push people away? These are unpicked alongside his counsellor, in a subtle way, that reveals to us as well as Bradley himself, what he really wants to do. Our insights into his life at home were really enlightening too, particularly around his ceramic toy animals. I found the dialogue around their conversations fun, as well as enlightening as to Bradley's state.
I also liked how the change in behaviour was not linear. 3 steps forward and 2 back again, and so on. That incremental progress starts to add up, and we really see the characters glowing. So many moments did I feel like Bradley's teacher, thinking about the pride that I would feel, tearing up thinking about how far he had come.
I only had a couple of niggles with the realism of this book, particularly some unprofessional conduct of the counsellor! I felt that this took me out of the realism of the book, but overall, as I know it isn't supposed to be fully realistic, it didn't detract too much from the story for me.
I would recommend this book to those who like emotional character-based middle grade books. I think teachers would love it, and children alike. Particularly if someone has been or knows an underdog that they want to root to succeed!!
Bradley Chambers is the most hated boy in school, to everyone except for his new counsellor Carla. After Carla arrives at school, things start to change for Bradley and for others around him. But are they changing because of her, or something within themselves?...
I felt so so emotional while reading this book. The amount of times I wanted to shout at a character from anger, or comfort another. The despair, the hope, the happiness. Louis Sachar really is a master of emotion. He gets into the character's inner feelings and motivations, really helping us to see them for who they are.
It was also so deeply hilarious! Not in an unnecessary way either, how I find some modern children's books are, with too much toilet humour! The (girl's bathroom) humour (😂) in this one was used in a masterful way, often bringing our character's intentions and emotions. Such as the book Bradley is reading, and some of his hilarious discussions with Carla. It adds to the plot rather than detracting from it.
Sachar has a thorough understanding of the character's (and particularly Bradley's) motivations. What makes him tick, why does he not listen in class, why does he hate everyone, why does he push people away? These are unpicked alongside his counsellor, in a subtle way, that reveals to us as well as Bradley himself, what he really wants to do. Our insights into his life at home were really enlightening too, particularly around his ceramic toy animals. I found the dialogue around their conversations fun, as well as enlightening as to Bradley's state.
I also liked how the change in behaviour was not linear. 3 steps forward and 2 back again, and so on. That incremental progress starts to add up, and we really see the characters glowing. So many moments did I feel like Bradley's teacher, thinking about the pride that I would feel, tearing up thinking about how far he had come.
I only had a couple of niggles with the realism of this book, particularly some unprofessional conduct of the counsellor! I felt that this took me out of the realism of the book, but overall, as I know it isn't supposed to be fully realistic, it didn't detract too much from the story for me.
I would recommend this book to those who like emotional character-based middle grade books. I think teachers would love it, and children alike. Particularly if someone has been or knows an underdog that they want to root to succeed!!
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced