Pack a sack lunch, we're gonna be here a while.
THREE PROS
*Does cover a lot of the elements involved in an elementary schoolchild's August/September world
*Is almost the perfect length for a prolonged kidlit experience that isn't overly time consuming
*The images are better than average
*The images are better than average
THREE CONS
*I was going to say something about this in my last review of this author/illustrator combo but held off since I already had three cons, so let me emphasize it now -- I'm all for diversity, but the diversity they employ is heavy-handed to the point that it makes you want to say "oh come on, enough already, couldn't the Asian-American girl have a less traditional first name"
*The first page not only comes out of leftfield, it also involves a kid with totally normal-looking curly hair being self-deprecating and mentions how his own parents were the root cause
*The first page not only comes out of leftfield, it also involves a kid with totally normal-looking curly hair being self-deprecating and mentions how his own parents were the root cause
*Having so many kids talk in the present tense made keeping track of the story borderline ridiculous, but having at least six of them flashback made it laughable
ONE DAD'S OPINION
I almost wanted to Destroy this thing for having such a misleading title. With the exception of the (short) last page, the whole story is about kids getting ready for the start of school on the last day of summer break. When I checked it out of the library, I assumed it would be at least a decent tool to prepare my son for switching daycare programs next year. It is not. Nothing about FDOS will be help your child cope with one of the more stressful experiences of youth. In short, this book serves no purpose, other than as a time-filler. Anne and Lizzy Rockwell would be lucky to receive a Donate -- and, thanks to the intangible feeling in my gut telling me not to throw them completely under the big yellow bus, that's almost what they got. BUT... then I thought about how many instances they included where characters' parents were buying them new things and I said screw it. Why do I want something laying around the house that will make my kid more materialistic? Rockwells: you let me down. From this day forth, I hereby decree that this book shall be forever known as Worst Day of School.
Buy / Borrow / Donate / DESTROY
ONE DAD'S OPINION
I almost wanted to Destroy this thing for having such a misleading title. With the exception of the (short) last page, the whole story is about kids getting ready for the start of school on the last day of summer break. When I checked it out of the library, I assumed it would be at least a decent tool to prepare my son for switching daycare programs next year. It is not. Nothing about FDOS will be help your child cope with one of the more stressful experiences of youth. In short, this book serves no purpose, other than as a time-filler. Anne and Lizzy Rockwell would be lucky to receive a Donate -- and, thanks to the intangible feeling in my gut telling me not to throw them completely under the big yellow bus, that's almost what they got. BUT... then I thought about how many instances they included where characters' parents were buying them new things and I said screw it. Why do I want something laying around the house that will make my kid more materialistic? Rockwells: you let me down. From this day forth, I hereby decree that this book shall be forever known as Worst Day of School.
Buy / Borrow / Donate / DESTROY
2 comments:
I had the same issue you did - how is this a book about the first day of school? I also wondered why this wasn't the first book in the series, since the whole thing focuses on a year in Mrs. Madoff's class. I definitely think it's the weakest of the entire series, and I kind of hope they don't write anymore.
Oooh, good point about the first book in the series. Maybe the kids keep the same teacher year after year? Your last comment was funniest of all!!!
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