Arthur and the Scare-Your-Pants-Off Club: An Arthur Chapter Book (Arthur Chapter Books) [Paperback]

Marc Brown (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 1998 | Series: Arthur Chapter Books (Book 2)

Arthur and his friends wait for the latest Scare-Your-Pants-Off Club book to hit the library shelves. When the book arrives, crowds of kids rush over-only to be told that the series has been banned! Arthur, Francine, Buster, and the rest of the gang make a plan. Can their scheme get their books back? In chapter-book format, for children who are ready to read on their own, this intriguing adventure will surely be a hit among Arthur fans.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 3AThese two titles are part of a series of chapter-book novelizations of PBS's Arthur episodes. Even though the covers proclaim "A Marc Brown Arthur" and show a photograph of Brown on the jackets, the books themselves have been written by someone else, and are based on teleplays created by yet other authors. The texts are interspersed with black-and-white illustrations. Arthur and the Scare-Your-Pants-Off Club deals with an unusual theme for primary-grade audiencesAcensorship. Angry parents have demanded that a series of scary books be banned from the public library because they believe they are frightening their children, and Arthur and his friends decide to fight back. Arthur's Mystery Envelope concerns the young aardvark's curiosity and anxiety when the principal gives him an envelope to take home marked "PRIVATE and CONFIDENTIAL." His desire to be honest is tempered by his fear of negative consequences as he wrestles with the dilemma of whether to deliver the envelope or to "lose" it. The reading level of these books is problematic: the vocabulary exceeds that of average third graders, yet the audience of the Arthur show is usually much younger. They could be used as read-alouds, and would undoubtedly appeal to children who watch the program and to precocious younger readers.ALinda W. Tilden, Cherry Hill Library, NJ
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Marc Brown is the creator of the bestselling Arthur Adventure book series and creative producer of the number-one children's PBS television series, Arthur. He has also created a second book series featuring D.W., Arthur's little sister, as well as numerous other books for children. Marc Brown lives with his family in Tisbury, Martha's Vineyard.

Product Details

• Paperback: 64 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (April 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316115495
• ISBN-13: 978-0316115490
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.2 x 7.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #92,055 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #6 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Popular Characters > TV > Arthur
  • #10 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Authors & Illustrators, A-Z > ( B ) > Brown, Marc

More About the Author

Marc Brown is the creator of the bestselling Arthur Adventure book series and co-developer of the children's PBS television series, Arthur. He has also created a second book series, featuring D.W., Arthur's little sister, as well as numerous other books for children. Marc Brown lives with his family in Tisbury, Massachusetts on Martha's Vineyard.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Examining censorship, June 6, 2001

By 

Chess Heart "paxbear" (Canton, OH) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Arthur and the Scare-Your-Pants-Off Club: An Arthur Chapter Book (Arthur Chapter Books) (Paperback)

Arthur and the gang are not-so-patiently waiting for the next installment in the Scare-Your-Pants-Off Book club. They’ve read all the others in the series, like “Curse of the Mummy’s Breath” and “Zombie Substitute Teacher” and can’t wait for the next one to come out.

The day it’s due to arrive at the library, the gang is poised, having all but camped out overnight to be the first in line to check it out and read it. You can imagine their surprise when they find out that it has been banned from the public library! A group of concerned parents have decided that it’s not appropriate for children and to have had it removed! What’s the gang to do? Is there any way Arthur and his friends can get the book back so everyone can enjoy it? A surprise ending is in store for the reader, making this a fun page-turner.

Marc Brown’s Arthur is one of the best-known characters in children’s literature today. He’s seen on television, has large format picture books and also the Arthur Adventure series, of which this title is #2. Intended for intermediate, independent readers who have graduated to short chapter books, the Arthur books are easy to read, a lot of fun, and encourage readers to think about their world and the different issues of friendship, family or in the case of “Scare-Your-Pants-Off Club”, censorship....

I have used “Scare-Your-Pants-Off Club” in my own classroom many times and found that it’s a great way to stimulate conversation and thinking among my students (one cryptically hinted that maybe we should ban THIS book as well!!). My point in using it as a social studies tool isn’t to agree or disagree with students so much as it is to get them to THINK—- “tell me your feelings about censorship, but back it up with reasoning and research” is how I address the issue. This in turn allows the student not only to voice their own opinion, but to examine their feelings and opinions as well; too many times in our culture we allow other folks to do our thinking for us.

Mr. Brown has done an excellent job of taking a very complicated issue in our society and presenting it to young readers in an understandable and intelligent way. I appreciate and applaud authors who not only aim to entertain their readers, but encourage them to think about themselves and their world. Hats off, Mr. Brown!! You’ve done it again!!

5.0 out of 5 stars Powerful Story About Censorship, December 25, 2005

By 

George Buttner "Agent0042" (Dayton, Ohio United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Arthur and the Scare-Your-Pants-Off Club (A Marc Brown Arthur, Chapter Book 2) (School & Library Binding)

This second Arthur TV Chapter Book is an insightful look at attempts to censor literature read by children. Adapted by Stephen Krensky, based on a TV Story by Terence Taylor, "Arthur and the Scare-Your-Pants-Off Club" finds the kids of Elwood City shocked.

They've been waiting eagerly outside the library on a Saturday for the newest release in their favorite book series, "The Scare-Your-Pants-Off Club." Just when they think they're about to get the new book, the librarian Ms. Paige Turner appears with a startling announcement --- due to concerns by a parents group called P.A.W.S., all books in the series have been pulled from the library shelves.

After a discussion of past times that they wanted something and didn't give up, Arthur and his friends formulate a plan of action. They get to work, but will their efforts be enough to return the books to the shelves? And just what does this P.A.W.S. group have against these books anyway?

This book was released in 1998 and the "Scare-Your-Pants-Off" books largely resemble the "Goosebumps" series by R.L. Stine. But readers will most likely be reminded of the fervor of fans of the "Harry Potter" series and the attempts that have been made to censor it. Regardless of where the reader might stand, this book has strong lessons about standing up for what you believe in and taking the time to know all the facts before making any decisions.

4.0 out of 5 stars If you like funny books read this book, February 3, 2003

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Arthur and the Scare-Your-Pants-Off Club: An Arthur Chapter Book (Arthur Chapter Books) (Paperback)

I give this book four stars , because it was funny. I think it was funny because of the characters expresions.Sometimes it got boring.I would recomend it to someone because I liked it very much and it was funny .