Back-to-School Rules

by Laurie B. Friedman, Teresa Murfin (Illustrator)

Overview

School's in session! When it comes to surviving school, Percy's at the head of the class.

If you can follow his ten simple rules, making the grade will be a piece of cake (and school will be a lot of fun). But there's more to school than showing up on time and staying awake in class. If you have any doubts, Percy also shows exactly what not to do.

• No spitballs!
• No running in the halls!
• No bouncing off the ceiling!
No crazy scheming!

See what other trouble—and tips—Percy has in mind!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780761360704
Publisher:	Lerner Publishing Group
Publication date:	08/01/2011
Series:	Carolrhoda Picture Books Series
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	197,900
Product dimensions:	9.40(w) x 11.10(h) x 0.30(d)
Lexile:	AD530L (what's this?)
Age Range:	7 - 8 Years

About the Author

Laurie Friedman is the author of the popular Mallory series, The Mostly Miserable Life of April Sinclair series, and many award-winning picture books. She lives in Florida.

Teresa Murfin graduated in 2001 with a degree in Illustration from Falmouth College of Art, UK. She has since been living and working in Bristol, England, as a freelance illustrator. Teresa has worked for a variety of clients, including Lerner, Scholastic, Oxford University Press, BT, Weightwatchers, Hodder, and Simon & Schuster. Picture books published include Hide & Seek Turkeys by Judith Ross Enderle & Stephanie Jacob Gordon, I’m Not Afraid of this Haunted House by Laurie Friedman, Animal Soup by Ian Whybrow and Thanksgiving Rules by Laurie Friedman.

Editorial Reviews

Percy, the self-assured host from Thanksgiving Rules, returns with some guidelines for starting school on the right foot. Unlike the previous book, though, these rules are all about "what not to do." Thus, Percy explains rules like don't be late, don't be impolite, no running, and no contradicting the teacher, culminating in a laundry list of "don'ts" listed on a chalkboard. Murfin creates a playfully skewed school environment with her wobbly collages and rosy-cheeked students, but after this litany of don'ts and nos, readers may have trouble taking the final rule—"Don't forget to have lots of fun!"—to heart. Ages 5–9. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

"The story's rhyme makes it fast-paced, and the colorful illustrations are fun to look at. Younger students will enjoy the humor, and teachers can use the story as a review of classroom rules." —Library Media Connection

From the Publisher

K-Gr 2—Percy Isaac Gifford is headed back to school and wishes to offer fellow students advice on how to earn an A+. What follows is a seemingly endless string of "don'ts" written in labored verse: "An important rule to follow:/Don't forget to use your brain./That means leave your plans at home/That qualify as insane!" While some of the advice is practical, such as not being late and not teasing, some is just silly: "No hanging from the ceiling./No flying through the air./No swimming in the fish tank./No glitter in your hair." This intense barrage of negativity (one page uses the word "don't" a dozen times) is unlikely to allay or mitigate any concerns children dealing with back-to-school anxiety may have; it's more likely to leave them feeling there are so many pitfalls that they can't possibly avoid them all. The teacher has an expression of annoyance more often than not and seems to do nothing but give orders. The final piece of advice, "Don't forget to have lots of fun," strikes an odd note as no fun is ever described. Better books on this topic abound, including Dr. Seuss's Hooray for Diffendoofer Day (Knopf, 1998) and Kathryn Lasky's Lunch Bunnies (Little, Brown, 1996).—Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ

School Library Journal