First Grade Stinks! [Paperback]

Mary Ann Rodman (Author), Beth Spiegel (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up

IT IS THE FIRST DAY of school and Hayley is excited. Things are different now. She isn't a kindergartener anymore; she is a bigger kid. She is a first grader.

Hayley quickly finds out that first grade is different from kindergarten, but in all the wrong ways! The classroom isn't as bright and colorful. Ms. Gray doesn't seem to smile as much as her kindergarten teacher Ms. Lacey did. The work is hard and there isn't enough time to play outside. Worst of all, her best friend Ryan says he likes first grade! Finally, Hayley has had enough. "First grade stinks!" she shouts. The classroom is suddenly very quiet. "You're in trouble now," Ryan whispers. But to Hayley's surprise Ms. Gray doesn't look mad at all.

Young readers will immediately empathize with Hayley and her increasing apprehension, as she tries to negotiate new expectations and challenges on the first day of a new school year.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 1–On her first day of first grade, Haley discovers that the routines are much different and decidedly less fun than kindergarten. She gets only one recess, no sharing time, a room without the familiar decorations, a teacher who is less demonstrative than her beloved Ms. Lacy, and, worst of all, a read-aloud that isn't even finished. Each time Haley discovers another difference she mutters to herself, First grade stinks! Finally, a gentle reprimand for whispering sends Haley into a full-blown meltdown, screaming her mantra of frustration aloud to the entire class. When she lists her complaints to her teacher, Ms. Gray explains about chapter books and reassures her that soon she will be reading them on her own. With her eyes opened to the possibilities ahead, Haley decides that first grade is great. The scratchy, fluid, full-color watercolor-and-ink illustrations feature plenty of white space. Perfect as a read-aloud, this book is a worthy successor to Miriam Cohen's When Will I Read? (Dell, 1996). Pair it with Kevin Henkes's Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse (HarperCollins, 1996) for a spot-on depiction of teachers helping kids through rough patches.–Marge Loch-Wouters, Menasha Public Library, WI
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

PreS-Gr. 1. Entering first grade, with its increased structure and emphasis on reading, writing, and math, can be just as difficult a transition as starting kindergarten. Rodman acknowledges some of the changes new first-graders may experience in this book about two friends who loved kindergarten but have different feelings about starting school anew. "We first-graders know how to act," says Ryan when he and Haley cruise by the "poor little kindergartners" as they make their way to their first-grade classroom. It doesn't take long for them to feel the difference: no whispering, only one recess, and lots of work: "Haley, your A's and B's are not the same size. . . .Write them again, please." Soon Haley has had enough. "First grade stinks!" she yells aloud, her face, mouth open wide, taking up most of a page, making sure the point gets across. When her teacher acknowledges her fears, Haley calms down and^B admits that first grade isn't so bad after all. Ink sketches filled in with splashy watercolors depict a worried, increasingly frazzled Haley as she copes with new challenges in a busy, active classroom. An important book for kids making a pretty tough transition. Stephanie Zvirin
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Peachtree Publishers; Reprint edition (September 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1561454621
• ISBN-13: 978-1561454624
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 9.1 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 0.3 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #287,559 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #31 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Issues > First Day of School

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Book Every Teacher Needs in her Classroom!, November 20, 2006

By 

Nancy Craddock (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: First Grade Stinks! (Hardcover)

As a former elementary teacher, this delightful book is one that warms my heart. First grader Haley desperately wants to go back to Ms. Lacy's kindergarten class where things are fun, that is, until she discovers the best thing about being in first grade. Author Mary Ann Rodman's sense of humor is evident from the first page to the last and my heart glows like Haley's orange sky whenever I thumb through this wonderful book. The illustrations by Beth Spiegel are perfect in every way, too! Perfect combination. Definitely a keeper!

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I've been teaching elementary school for 20 years, December 14, 2006

By 

Janine D. Zone "teacher" (Los Angeles, California) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: First Grade Stinks! (Hardcover)

....and I've yet to find a children's book that is so perfect...and absolutely gorgeous! Ms. Spiegel's illustrations add wit and charm to a lovely read-aloud experience that completely enchanted my students (now BIG second graders!) who remember the monumental transition from kindergarten to first grade very well. I look forward to more collaborations between this gifted author and her brilliant illustrator!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars No Stinker Here, October 31, 2006

By 

S. Spain (Conyers, GA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: First Grade Stinks! (Hardcover)

First Grade Stinks! is a wonderfully realistic look at the awkward transition from being a somewhat coddled kindergartener to being a first grader who must learn more and play less. Rodman's fresh, believable characterizations of Haley and her new teacher, Ms. Gray (!), are a true delight. Beautiful illustrations by Beth Spiegel add to a great reading experience.