My School Stinks!

by Becky Scharnhorst, Julia Patton (Illustrator)

Overview

"Just might convince complaining children that their school isn't so bad after all."—Kirkus reviews

A hilarious back-to-school story told through journal entries about a boy who finds himself at a new school where the other students are REAL animals. Perfect for fans of Ryan T. Higgins's We Don't Eat Our Classmates and Elise Parsley's If You Ever Want to Bring an Alligator to School, Don't!

Dear Diary,

Today is the first day at my new school and I think there's been a mistake. My desk mate stinks, my locker buddy bites, and my teacher is unbearable! I told Mom my classmates are WILD ANIMALS but she said all little kids are wild animals. I think I'm going to be sick tomorrow.

Celebrate back to school (and even calm some back-to-school nerves) with this clever and funny story about a boy who accidentally winds up at a school for animals, but soon realizes friends can come in all shapes, sizes, and species. A great read for kindergarten through second grade!

Praise for My School Stinks!:

"Along with being a good choice for children anxious about their own upcoming “first day,” this offers a nifty exercise in reading between the lines."—Booklist

"An encouraging new-kid narrative told from an entertaining perspective." —Publishers Weekly

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593116524
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	07/06/2021
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	285,033
Product dimensions:	10.10(w) x 10.20(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	GN550L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Becky Scharnhorst is a children’s book author who lives in Wisconsin with her family and quite a few wild animals, only two of which are her kids. When she’s not reading or writing, she can be found hiking through the woods, baking something sweet, or thinking happy thoughts. You can visit Becky online at beckyscharnhorst.com or follow her on Twitter and Instagram @beckyscharn.

Julia Patton is an illustrator originating from the wilderness in Northumberland, UK. She loves illuminating magical stories like this one, and in particular loves drawing silly stinky creatures. When she’s not happily scribbling away in her woodshed, you’ll find her planting trees and camping with her very own pack of wildlings. You can visit Julia online at juliapatton.co.uk or follow her on Twtitter @julia_patton and on Instagram @julspatton.

Editorial Reviews

06/28/2021

Stuart, a freckled, pale-skinned, redheaded child with glasses, is nervous for their first day of school at Wildwood Elementary—only to face a beastly surprise. The class is made up entirely of unruly animals: the monkeys drop Stuart from the monkey bars onto Patricia the porcupine, Betty the beaver whittles through all of the child’s pencils, and Charlie the crocodile eats their science experiment. But slowly, Stuart begins to adjust to the new environment with the help of their mouse teacher and a friendly crocodile classmate. Scharnhorst’s humorous narration is presented on each page as Stuart’s diary entries on notebook paper inserts. Animal humor aplenty enlivens the tale, while Patton’s mixed traditional and digital media art amplify the comedy with dynamic scenes and cartoonish characters. An encouraging new-kid narrative told from an entertaining perspective. Ages 4–8. (July)

Publishers Weekly

"This story has an amusing tongue-in-cheek quality in which the text can be read as exaggeration but the pictures bear out the child’s perspective. For children accused of having wild imaginations, this is an affirming treat. Just might convince complaining children that their school isn’t so bad after all." —Kirkus reviews 

"Along with being a good choice for children anxious about their own upcoming “first day,” this offers a nifty exercise in reading between the lines."--Booklist

"Scharnhorst’s humorous narration is presented on each page as Stuart’s diary entries on notebook paper inserts. Animal humor aplenty enlivens the tale, while Patton’s mixed traditional and digital media art amplify the comedy with dynamic scenes and cartoonish characters. An encouraging new-kid narrative told from an entertaining perspective." —Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher

2021-05-19
Wildwood Elementary School is full of wild animals.

A child is trying the deep breaths and happy thoughts recommended by Mom and Dad to prepare for the first day of school, but so far it isn’t working. At school, the child is surrounded by wild animals: a stinky desk mate (skunk), a biting locker buddy (crocodile), and an “unbearable” ursine teacher. The child tries pretending to be sick to avoid going back, but Mom and Dad don’t buy it. As the days go on, being dropped from the monkey bars by the monkeys, being picked over by a gorilla, and being invited to eat lunch with a crocodile give way to friendlier experiences. The things that made the child hate Wildwood Elementary are transformed into positives—friendships and helpers. The only challenge left is parents night! The text is written in a first-person narrative as diary entries in a faux handwritten type set on notebook paper. The protagonist, a child with huge glasses, tiny eyes, and energetically unkempt straight hair, is visibly transformed from a constant worrier to a happy kid. The protagonist and parents, the only humans in the story, present as White. This story has an amusing tongue-in-cheek quality in which the text can be read as exaggeration but the pictures bear out the child’s perspective. For children accused of having wild imaginations, this is an affirming treat. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Just might convince complaining children that their school isn’t so bad after all. (Picture book. 3-8)

Kirkus Reviews