I Was a Third Grade Spy [Paperback]

Mary Jane Auch (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 7 and up | Grade Level: 2 and up

Believe it or not–and you better believe it–Josh’s dog Arful can talk! This is very useful to Josh and his pals who want to win the school talent contest. First the boys have to find out what the girls are planning for the contest. That’s when they send Arful to get an earful by spying on the girls. Just wait until show time to see what Arful the spy uncovers.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In I Was a Third Grade Science Project, Josh was hypnotized into thinking he was a cat. Now, in I Was a Third Grade Spy by Mary Jane Auch, illus. by Herm Auch, Brian's dog, Artful, can talk and the canine's ability to report back on the doings of their nemesis, Emily, has its uses.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-4-A perfectly silly sequel to Auch's hilarious I Was a Third Grade Science Project (Holiday, 1998). This book immediately engages readers with a laugh and a bit of a shock-the first chapter is narrated by Arful the dog. In the earlier title, his owner, Brian "the Brain," and his friends tried to hypnotize Arful into thinking he was a cat, but it was Josh who developed a taste for raw fish, instead. Here, Josh is returned to normal, but Arful can talk. Many short and entertaining scenes ensue as the boys try to win the upcoming talent show and send the dog to spy on the competition. The canine's perceptions and worldview, shared for the first time because of his new vocabulary, provide most of the laughs. The short chapters are narrated alternately by Josh and Arful with postage-stamp-sized illustrations at the beginning of each chapter indicating whose turn it is to "speak." The pace of the story suits the audience and the genre, and the language is well balanced throughout. This title will be a welcome addition to any collection looking for more funny, easy chapter books.
Piper L. Nyman, Fairfield/Suisun Community Library, Fairfield, CA
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 7 and up
  
• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Yearling (January 14, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0440418712
• ISBN-13: 978-0440418719
• Product Dimensions: 5.1 x 0.3 x 7.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #88,985 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:

5.0 out of 5 stars I Was a Third Grade Spy, April 2, 2004

A Kid's Review

This review is from: I Was a Third Grade Spy (Paperback)

This story is very good. I like how Mary Jane Auch switched the characters narrating the story's chapters. For example, first it was the dog, Arful who was narrating a chapter, then it was a kid named Josh. I think that's cool. Overall I'd say this book was really good. WOW.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very good, January 9, 2002

By 

Jade of Planet Rock (Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: I Was a Third Grade Spy (Hardcover)

I was baby sitting and the kids just loved it. I recommend this book for parents who want to keep the kids quiet or any babysitters that want the kids to be amused.

5.0 out of 5 stars A great laugh for bedtime, December 30, 2006

By 

Ben Ling (Park City, UT) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: I Was a Third Grade Spy (Paperback)

I read the entire book to my dog-obsessed 6-year-old son one night, mainly because it was funny enough to keep him laughing. The dog, Arful, narrates every other chapter in present tense, which exposed my son to different verb tenses. I'll be getting the rest of the books in this series!