It's Monday (Tuesday)! What Are You Reading?

To learn more about It's Monday! What Are You Reading? visit Mentor Texts

 

AR level: 4.5

Grade appropriate: 3rd and up

RATING BREAKDOWN: 

Overall: 5/5-- I really liked this book. In fact I looked to see what else Chris Grabenstein had written and the only other title was I Funny by James Patterson (but really by Chris Grabenstein) No wonder my students like those books so much! 

Creativity: 5/5-- Very fun. I want to go to a library like this. 

Characters: 5/5-- I genuinely liked the characters they were likeable while still flawed and helped each other out even when it would cost them. 

Engrossing: 4/5-- I'm sad to say it took me a long time to get through this one. There's been so much going on around here and I didn't make finishing this one a priority. 

Writing: 5/5

 

Appeal to kids: 4/5-- I hope they like it as much as I did, but they haven't really discovered it yet. I'll have to book talk it.

Appropriate length to tell the story: 5/5

CONTENT: 

Language: none

Sexuality: none

Violence: none

Drugs/Alcohol: none

 

This book reminded me strongly of Andrew Clements's Keepers of the School series. Unfortunately Clements books are much better. The main characters in this book bicker & fight so much & aren't all that likable. The clues were a stretch & most of the time even the sleuths in the story weren't sure they actually solved the clue before moving on to the next one. All in all, I wanted to like this book a lot more than I did. My recommendation is to skip this book & read Keepers of the School. 

AR level: 4.2

Grade appropriate: 4th and up

RATING BREAKDOWN: 

Overall: 2/5

Creativity: 2/5-- very similar to other childrens books out right now but sadly not as good

Characters: 2/5-- bickering & petty

Engrossing: 2/5-- I put it down and read other things until I made myself finish it

Writing: 3/5-- eh

Appeal to kids: 4/5-- honestly the kids will probably like it more than I did. 

Appropriate length to tell the story: 3/5

CONTENT: 

Language: none

Sexuality: none

Violence:none

Drugs/Alcohol: none, some cigarette smoking by a creepy janitor