Monday is not a popular day of the week for any of us. But for Justin Chase, the narrator of this book, this particular Monday is shaping up to be worse than bad - it's horribly bad - in fact, it's the worst Monday EVER!
Not only does Justin have to endure the embarrassment of being dropped off at his new school in a giant toilet on wheels, he also has to navigate a mean bully (who is charming on the surface), a toilet emergency with no toilet paper, nothing but green food in his lunchbox, and an unravelling pair of crocheted swimmers. Not to mention the bout of food poisoning that hits while he's in the swimming pool...I mean, what could possibly go wrong there?
You'll have to read this book to find out!
My nine-year-old smiled, gasped and laughed his way through this book, which is fun and fast-paced with just the right amount of gross humour that will keep your kids utterly captivated. Not only does the narrative rock along at a rollicking pace, but the book itself is visually appealing, designed to hold the attention of its intended audience.
Even though he loves books and stories, in our household it can be a battle trying to encourage Mr 9 to turn off the electronic devices and pick up a book instead. So it was so encouraging to observe him choosing to read this book from cover to cover rather than playing on the PS4. The appeal lies not only in the humour and engaging story, but also in the creative way this book is presented, with plenty of fun quirky illustrations, some of them simulating a video game format, which will instantly appeal to many readers in this age group. I also loved that the text was interspersed with lists, song lyrics, comic-style panels and spot the difference pics. This gives the book a fresh unique vibe and it's guaranteed to be a hit with today's kids.
I also enjoyed the diverse characters depicted on the page, and the beginnings of what might be a new friendship for Justin, which might just provide him with some support for what he is about to face for the rest of the week...
This book celebrates fun, family, friendship and crocheted swimmers.
Mr 9 and I can't wait to see what Justin has to deal with over the rest of the week...
Published by Scholastic Press