Second Grade Holdout

by Audrey Vernick, Matthew Cordell (Illustrator)

Overview

Second grade? Pfff! No, thanks.

The comically anxious narrator in this book thought that first grade had its problems, but overall it was pretty awesome. He'll take grade one over grade two any day, thank you very much! Especially because he and Tyler, his best friend, will not be in the same class this school year. On top of that, Tyler's sisters have been feeding the boys a steady stream of rumors about the horrors of second grade. Luckily they catch on that just maybe some of those stories are not one hundred percent true.

Could it be that second grade is not so bad? Find out in this laugh-out-loud story that has more than its fair share of heart.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781328811486
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	07/04/2017
Sold by:	HARPERCOLLINS
Format:	eBook
Pages:	32
Lexile:	540L (what's this?)
File size:	16 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	4 - 7 Years

About the Author

Audrey Vernick is author of several novels and many picture books, including Brothers at Bat: The True Story of an Amazing All-Brother Baseball Team. She lives with her family near the ocean in New Jersey. Visit her online at audreyvernick.com and on Twitter @yourbuffalo.

Matthew Cordell has illustrated many picture and chapter books for children including Wolf in the Snow, which won the Caldecott Medal. He lives with his wife and their two children outside of Chicago, Illinois. Visit him online at matthewcordell.com and on Twitter @cordellmatthew.

Editorial Reviews

05/15/2017
The star of First Grade Dropout returns, and once again he has big reservations about proceeding to the next grade. It doesn’t help that his best friend Tyler’s older sisters are feeding him whoppers about what life as a second grader is like: “Every student has to be able to speak Russian perfectly before Thanksgiving! Also... you have to invent a substitute for water!! Or you fail!!!” Cordell’s scraggly cartooning expertly channels the narrator’s nervousness (and Tyler’s sisters’ mischievousness), and although Vernick ends on an encouraging note, she keeps the anxiety-fueled jokes coming until nearly the last page. Ages 4–7. Author’s agent: Erin Murphy, Erin Murphy Literary. Illustrator’s agent: Rosemary Stimola, Stimola Literary Studio. (July)

Publishers Weekly

"Funny and relatable, this book book will make kids laugh out loud."—The Washington Post "A new look at an age-old fact: change is hard but maybe not as hard as what one might imagine." —Kirkus "Cordell’s scraggly cartooning expertly channels the narrator’s nervousness (and Tyler’s sisters’ mischievousness), and although Vernick ends on an encouraging note, she keeps the anxiety-fueled jokes coming until nearly the last page." —Publishers Weekly "Vernick introduces a problem familiar to a certain personality type (“I wish everything could just stay the way it was”) and allows readers to recognize, and maybe even laugh at, themselves."—Horn Book "Vernick gives a deft twist of humor to real anxieties about competence, growth, and change, and the sibling dynamic is both authentic and funny... Audiences will be tickled by the narrator’s attempted evasion, and they may enjoy coming up with some school whoppers of their own." —Bulletin —

From the Publisher

08/01/2017
Gr 1–3—The protagonist of this story is not looking forward to entering second grade. He is sure that he won't get to have fun anymore, his teacher will be mean, and he won't be with his friend Tyler. All of the signs seem to indicate that the new school year will be catastrophic. He starts to devise a plan: Maybe he could repeat first grade! This plan becomes even more appealing when Tyler's older sisters begin to taunt him with horror stories about their own second grade experiences. They taunt Tyler as well, and the two friends bemoan their fate together. Eventually, they realize that they are being tricked and that second grade might not be so terrible after all. The story closes with the two boys giving each other a high-five, confident that if they can see through the schemes of Tyler's sisters they are smart enough to conquer second grade. This is a witty and fun story that will resonate with any child nervous about moving up a grade. Caregivers will find it particularly useful as a springboard to discuss school-related fears and anxieties with their children. Cordell's colorful cartoon illustrations make the topic seem less scary, and will appeal to youngsters. VERDICT An excellent addition to library collections during the back-to-school season.—Katherine Hickey, Metropolitan Library System, Oklahoma City

School Library Journal

2017-05-15
After a rocky period in first grade (First Grade Dropout, 2015), the same anxious blond, white boy decides not to advance to second grade.After all, those first-grade books will be a breeze for him to read, he'll always be the one who's lost the most teeth, and that zoo field trip scavenger hunt? In the bag! His real worries involve being in a separate class from his best friend, Tyler, having a new teacher who doesn't know his quirks, being too big for the playground with the twisty slide, and just change in general. But Tyler's big sisters may also have something to do with his fears. The naïve boy believes their tales of having to learn Russian by Thanksgiving and invent a substitute for water. They finally come clean to the protagonist but then start telling tales to Tyler. But the two don't fall for their tricks. After all, they're second-graders now. Cordell's scribbly-style pen-and-ink-and-watercolor illustrations again portray the kids' every fleeting emotion. The unnamed protagonist is white while Tyler and his sisters are black. The other kids and teachers are diverse. A new look at an age-old fact: change is hard but maybe not as hard as what one might imagine. (Picture book. 5-9)

Kirkus Reviews