Customer Reviews

The Curtain Went Up, My Pants Fell Down #11 (Hank Zipzer)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a great series, it does an amazing job of capturing the experience of living and growing up with learning disabilities. Henry Winkler admits that he himself has a form of dyslexia. However this is the second book with a glaring continuity error, and it is beginning to bother me. In Book 10 My Dog's a Scaredy-Cat: A Halloween Tail it states that Hank never got above C's he says that his "grades have only ever traveled to C-ville and parts south". In this book on p.3 Hank states that "A C-Minus was a step up for me. I usually live in D-Ville." Yet in book 8 Summer School? What Genius Thought That Up? He got an A+ on his oral presentation. There is also a second incident in this book whwre he states he never got A's. The continuity error being missed a second time by editors and proof readers is disappointing. However setting that aside this is another wonderful adventure for Hank and his friends at PS 87(Public School 87).

In this story Hank wants' to try out for the role of the King of Siam, in the school's adaptation of the play Anna and the King, but he has just flunked a math test and started peer tutoring. His father only allows him to try out for the play if he agrees he will get a B+ on his next math test. If he does not achieve this mark and has got a spot in the play, he will have to drop out. As we can tell from the title it sounds like he made it but how many trials does he have to overcome to make it. Follow Hank as he get's to know Heather Payne as both a peer tutor and friend, and maybe Hank can teach Heather a thing or two, read and find out.

I purchased this book for my grandson's Christmas present. He really enjoyed reading this book and I am anticipating purchasing more for him.

Thanks.

My 8 year old granddaughter who is very bright and has no problems at school, loved this book and thought it was very funny. She also read it aloud to her younger brother who loved it.

It was a GEART book. You don't what to put it down. It supires you though the whole book.

Who would have thought the "Fonz" would have such talent writing children's books?? This series is a wonderful way to encourage children to read! The story is fun with the "world's greatest underachiever". Great for the fourth grade student!

This is a delightful book from the series by Henry Winkler. My grandson is autistic--but has a wonderful sense of humor (he draws his own cartoons). He also participates in drama camp -- so even though this was a little below his reading level, I knew he would love the character and the circumstances surrounding the story. He did-- so I consider this a good summer read for kids. As a former English teacher, I believe that reading fun things develops both imagination and skill.

I really like these books. Hank learns he can learn from other kids. Kids can sometimes learn better from other kids because they have a closer point of view on things. I really like that the know-it-all girl learns she can really learn from someone like Hank and be better for it. In real life I have paired LD with Gifted students and had something like this really happen, each learns something from the other. I do wish the dad would learn that LD students really do have to work harder and take small steps to get the better grades. Why doesn't Hank get some help in his school to get better? All schools are supposed to have some sort of classes to help these students learn how to see things like Hank learned using the library books with peer tutoring. Even with these problems as I see them, I really do like the books and the message they send about how you can learn even if you learn a different way to see the answers.

We live in Texas and the elementary schools have the "Accelerated
Reading Program" and these books by Henry Winkler qualify for points in the program. Finding books for my granddaughter to read and keep her interested has been difficult but she loves this series.