Customer Reviews

The Brand New Kid

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(11)

 

 

This is a great little book that deals well with a difficult but all too common problem--kids cruelty to other kids. I chose it because of the theme of kindness (too few children's books address this issue in an amusing, engaging way).

I read it to my 7 year old son, who loved the rhymes and the illustrations, and who then chatted with me for ten minutes about how important it is to reach out to other kids, and about how hard it can be. I plan to read it to my son's class this Thursday during story time, and then to conduct a discussion on how the kids can be kind to each other and why it's important to have courage.

Katie Couric's poetry is fun and engaging and Marjorie Priceman's illustrations are lovely. I am a self-employed Human Resources consultant and trainer, so I mostly teach adults, and I can tell you that there are many grown-ups who encounter difficulties at work because they have never acquired the skills necessary to deal successfully with other people. It is in our best interests to spend some time teaching our kids about kindness and courage and tolerance. This book does that, and with a light hand, so that it's still fun for kids and adults. I can't wait for more books!

I agree with the reader from Amherst that the rhymes in this book are VERY clunky. I bought it for the charming illustrations and for the theme (I'm currently working on a lesson plan about acceptance, diversity, etc.). However, I regret buying it, because it's extremely difficult to read out loud. The rhymes are awkward, and the inconsistent metre ruins any sense of flow.

There are plenty of high quality children's books that deal with this theme. Take a pass on this one, and try Wolf! by Sara Fanelli, or Something Else by Kathryn Cave and Chris Riddell. Both of these books have talented illustrators AND writers.

I like Katie Couric on the"Today Show", I like the fact that some of the proceeds are going to charity, I like putting out the message of tolerance - what I don't like however is this book.The writng is mediocre at best. If someone else's name was on the cover I seriously doubt it would have ever been published. There are far better children's books with messages that are just as valuable only they have talented authors who wrote them. Hopefully, Katie can do better on her next book (yes, she is writing another one). Oh, there is one more thing that I like - the fact that I didn't have to pay for it, my daughter got it as a gift.

I sat down at the bookstore yesterday and read The Brand New Kid -- it's no wonder that Marjorie Priceman has won the coveted Caldecott award for illustration for her previous work. It's really her wonderful drawings that make the book. Couric's verse is heavy; it plods along and occasionally trips. Poor Katie -- no one told her that there's two tricks to writing in verse. She got the rhyming down (sort of), but her meter is terribly off. Like other reviewers have said, though, the message of the book is a good one. We shouldn't taunt and tease those who are unknown and different from us. I applaud Couric's desire to make the world a better place -- her perky demeanor certainly makes my mornings less foul -- but I think that she might have been better off setting up a fellowship for talented children's book writers than attempting a go on her own. Fame and good intentions make talent not.

This is a great book. What an important lesson to teach children, acceptance of people that may seem different to them. And even more important, that it's OK not to succumb to peer pressure. But we all know that kids don't want to know they're learning a lesson. Katie Couric does a fantastic job of framing this in an experience that most children have probably either had or observed but never felt comfortable talking about. She says she's working on two other books, one about rejection. I hope she continues providing such thoughtful and interesting stories for kids (and their parents!) to learn from.

I read this book to my 8 yr old daughter and 3 yr old son last night - we all 3 received a lesson in the golden rule - treating others like we would want to be treated. This book doesn't hit you over the head with a 2 x 4 - instead it makes you think about the people you should have or could have been more kind or open to in the past. It is a fun book to read out aloud - the rhymes made us all laugh. Highly recommeded by all of us!

Aaaahhhhhhh, what a grand story with a golden rule theory. This will help in many aspects of caring in general and shine a new light on messages with a rhyming effect. Read it to your little ones and let the older ones read it to you. Different is good and we can all benefit from it. Thanks Katie for reminding us to treat children the way we want to be treated.

Katie Couric's theme is familiar enough. A young person endures the travails of being the outsider until they are taken into the fold of the group who once persecuted them. This theme, though, has received far better treatment by real authors.

Couric's "celebness" may be bona fide but her writing is not. "The Brand New Kid" is written in verse that stumbles so often that it robs the book of playfulness and flow. What's more, her protaganist is flat and uninteresting. He is persecuted but, unfortunately, that is about all he is. Throughout his torments, Couric's "new kid" remains insipid, displaying none of the pluck or defiance which we associate with our favourite children's book characters. Any sympathy we feel for him stems only from Marjorie Priceman's touching illustrations.

More interesting than the book itself is the reason why it was allowed to become a best-seller. Besides the hype NBC bestowed on its network darling, behemoth Barnes & Noble gave it prominent display and high praise nationwide in each of their stores. Suspiciously, B&N has a major marketing role on NBC's web-site. Something's rotten in Denmark...

Couric's efforts in writing this mini-morality play were no doubt sincere. Nevertheless, this book's only claim to prominence comes from its author's celebrity status. Would that these celebrity egoes stop invading the world of children's books, and instead make room for a new generation's EB White or Roald Dahl.

I am trying to remember why Couric went into the kids' book business. Wasn't the day job working out Katie?

As I picked up the book from a display of "back to school" books it was not displeasing to look at. Although the illustrations are working hard, they cannot rescue this book. The storyline was very predictable, heavy handed and pedantic. The rhyming verse just saws away and lumbers along in a forced and sing-song fashion.

"His name is a different one, Lazlo S. Gasky. He's new to our school and the town of Delasky."

Wow, how about that. The kid's last name happens to rhyme with the name of the town. Golly.

To go on any further would be cruel. Couric and other lesser lights are under the impression that a tale must be moralistic in order to appeal or impress children. I suppose it does impress unsuspecting parents and grandparents who will misguidedly but with the best of intentions, purchase this book.

If you are looking for a REALLY good book with this theme, go get "Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon" by Patty Lovell with divine illustrations by David Catrow.

As usual, Marjorie Priceman's illustations are divine: colorful, energetic, and stylish. But who told Katie Couric she can write? The rhymes are incredibly clunky! Just try reading this aloud:

"He's terrific at chess, and his Mom's really sweet.

Playing soccer the guy doesn't have two left feet."

Couric's heart is in the right place, but the story would have been better if she had written it in prose rather than forced rhyme.