Egg-Drop Blues [Paperback]

Jacqueline Turner Banks (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 13, 2003 | Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up

Judge is desperate. His mother has threatened to send him to a different school next year—away from his twin brother and “posse” of friends. To prove he can succeed at his current school, Judge needs to bring up his grades. After weeks of hard work—all while dealing with his sometimes difficult brother, his dyslexia, and the news that his divorced father has decided to remarry—Judge’s hopes depend on winning a science competition. Soon it all comes down to the egg-drop . . .

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-6-A fun, entertaining novel about Judge and Jury, twins involved in a science project. Judge, the quieter and more sensitive of the two, is dyslexic. He is eager to participate in the Einstein Rally held at a local college because it would bring up his science grade. His mother is thinking about moving him to a private school so he can experience some different teaching methods, but he does not want to be separated from his friends and hopes the egg-drop event will save him. Jury is more interested in playing "pom-pom tackle" than in working on the project, but his love for his brother shines through in his teasing and his willingness to finally pitch in. The story, told by Judge, moves along rapidly as he and Jury try to determine the best way to cushion a raw egg so it will not break when dropped off a tall building. This is a special story that fills a need for well-written books about African American children. An added plus is that the subject of dyslexia is presented sensitively and authoritatively.
Jan Shepherd Ross, Dixie Elementary Magnet School, Lexington, KY
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Gr. 4^-6. A sequel to Banks' Project Wheels (1993) and The New One (1994), this readable novel concerns the trials of sixth-grader Judge Jenkins, recently diagnosed with dyslexia and struggling to learn how to learn. When his mother threatens to send him to a different school next year unless he shows that he can succeed at Plank Elementary, Judge pins his hopes on winning the Einstein Rally. He tussles with packaging his egg for a safe landing in the egg drop competition and keeping his twin brother/rally partner out of trouble until the contest. Without stopping the book's flow to discuss dyslexia, Banks makes some good points about grades, intelligence, and learning styles. Judge's first-person narration is conversational and refreshingly candid. Despite the novel's rather abrupt ending, children will look forward to reading more about Judge, his brother, and their friends. Carolyn Phelan --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Sandpiper (June 13, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0618250808
• ISBN-13: 978-0618250806
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 7.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,088,529 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Scrambled Eggs, March 11, 2004

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Egg-Drop Blues (Hardcover)

Scrambled Eggs

This story is about two sixth grade twin brothers who have to work together to help one of them make a higher grade in science. Through out the story, Judge Jenkins is struggling with dyslexia and is having trouble in school. Jury, his twin brother does good in school but only studies get by. Judge needs to get at least a D in science and the only way is to enter in the Science Rally and place in the top three. He signs him and his brother up without asking Jury. Jury is angry, but in the end realizes that he has to help his brother do good on the project or the both of them will be sent to a private school. They compete with other school and do pretty well. Read the book and find out what happens.

In my opinion the book was not very good. I did not find it exciting and it did not keep my attention. Most of the book has to deal with dyslexia and all the problems that go along with it. There are a few funny parts where the brothers are fighting and the mother is messing around with them. I would recommend this book to someone who does not like adventure. I was disappointed with the ending because it leaves you hanging.

4.0 out of 5 stars Egg Drop Blue by J. T. Banks, October 23, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Egg-Drop Blues (Paperback)

I am a member of Southwood Book Club and this book was discuss on May 2003. I really like this book and I will tell all my friends to read this book.

Marilyn from Meadowview in C. C.Hills IL.

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars All Cracked Up Over Egg-Drop Blues, February 22, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Egg-Drop Blues (Hardcover)

I would rate this book between six and seven. This was a good book if you like books where people focus on doing stuff at the last minute. The part of the book I liked the most was Jury helping his family save their farm. I liked the book overall but I didn't like the way the book shifts from Jury doing school projects to him getting money as a reward for his science project. To me the book skipped around a lot. I didn't feel that the book had a lot of details surrounding all the characters. Another book I would compare to this one is "Red Terror". In that book the main characters (a little girl the same age as Jury), gets money and helps her family. She buys her mom's necklace back from their neighbor that belonged to her grandmother at one time. The necklace was given to her mother by her mother and her mom sold it for money to buy alcohol because she was an alcoholic. The girl also helps her mom recover. Both kids in the books helped their families to recover from problems. I liked this book because kids were doing something to save belongings of their families. I think this shows how strong kids and families can be. It was a good book to teach some lifelong lessons.