Andrew Clements books

Greetings!

I just read the newest Andrew Clements book called About Average. Jordan is in sixth grade and is neither tall nor short, not blond nor brunette, not fat, nor thin – but average. Her grades are average. She sings OK, but is not good enough to have a solo. It seems to Jordan that others in her class are much more talented than she it.

Jordan has a crush on a boy but this does not take over the story. She also is a really nice girl and I love how she handles a bullying situation when it occurs. Jordan throws away some papers and one of the girls finds them and then begins to read them aloud with exaggerated expression to make fun of Jordan. Jordan thinks and decides that no matter what that girl does to her, she will be nice. My first thought was that Jordan was heaping coals of fire on the girl’s head, but that term was not mentioned.

Jordan does eventually do something that is above average near the end of her sixth grade year. She performs a heroic act when a tornado comes and the orchestra director is knocked unconscious. She quickly organizes the students to action and they take refuge under the grand piano surrounded by music stands and covered with the velvet curtains from the stage.

Andrew Clements is a good writer and his books are very popular. He always has a lesson buried in the story so it doesn’t sound preachy. If you don’t’ have any of his books AND you are in an elementary school, I would strongly suggest you purchase some of them. The ones I suggest you purchase are:

Frindle
Trouble-Maker
No Talking
Lunch Money
The Report Card
The School Story
Lost and Found
Extra Credit
A Week in the Woods
The Landry News
The Last Holiday Concert
Room One: A Mystery or Two
The Janitor’s Boy
The Jacket

You might want to stay away from Things Not Seen, Things Hoped For, and Things that Are. Even though the titles sound a bit religious, they are not. Read the blurbs or the books before you decide to put it in your library. I have chosen not to put them in ours.

I hope you have a great Thanksgiving vacation. I’ll be in Seattle visiting my son. I’m looking forward to the break.

Audrey