Customer Reviews

Justin and the Best Biscuits in the World

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

 

 

I had my fifth graders read this book and they loved it. They couldn't put it down. It's an excellent look at an all too unknown group of people in history--Black Cowboys. It's also a wonderful coming of age story. It comes highly recommended from the students of St. Malachy School.

This is a great book about an African-American boy named Justin. Over the course of a stay with his cowboy grandfather, he learns that there is no such thing as women's work, you can do anything once you learn how, and a cool history lesson about black cowboys. My 4th grade students loved it and we had a great debate over whether there is a such thing as women's work!

My son read this book with his 4th grade class. I read it along and out loud with him because we are really working on reading comprehension.

This is a terrific discussion-starter book for parents and children. Not only is there the sexism parts, but there is also the theme of Justin being never shown how to do things (or made fun of when he tries) to the extent that he just stopped trying.

I was very surprised to see the "n-word" (it's on page 82 in mine) in a book geared toward such young children. I'm not saying this is a bad thing, but I would not have known about it if I had not been reading the book with my son. They did not discuss it in school or let the parents know which is a shame, as it led to a few great discussions in our home about racism and the power of words.

Overall, a great book. It was nice to see some diversity in my son's required reading and to have a completely boy-centric book where the main character is not sickeningly perfect.

I really really liked this story because it show that at first Justin does not know how to do anything right and he had two sisters and one that was bigger than him and he always got in trouble and at the end he learns how to make his bed and cook biscuits and other stuff and know body believes that he can do all those things because before he went to his grand fathers he could not do anything but when he gets back he can make his bed and his on food and it just amazing that he could do all those things after he got back from his grand fathers and its cool.

I borrowed the book from the library, because my children like biscuits. The book surprised me with its story line. It is so beautiful about a boy becoming man of responsibility and knowing his african american history. A few times the story did not flow too well. Therefore I gave it a four star review.

I liked the book cause it was exciting.I relate to Justin because I don't like to clean my room,or make my bed.This book made me hungry cause of the biscuits.My favorite parts were when they went to the festival and at Justin's house.If you like cowboys,roping,and horses you'll like this book.And it also teaches you stuff.I think this is a great book.I really enjoyed it!

I really,really thought this was awsome because they talk about cowboys and roping.I am not like Justin.I hate the night riders.I don't like his sisters because they were mean.So were the night riders.The Q-T ranch is cool.Justin's Grandpa is nice.Justin likes going to his Grandpa's.He likes to ride horses.One time they found a fawn in the fence!Luckly they got it out.Then they went to the festival.Justin makes a new friend.He Deos 4 actvities.He has fun.And Grandpa won the "Best Biscuits in the World"

I really,really thought this book was cool caus they talked obout cowboys and roping.I think that i'm kinda like justin.I thought the night riders were so awsome even though the night riders were kinda mean!When Justin went to the Q.T ranch he learned how to make his bed and do other things.When they went to the fair and they had to rush,rush,rush toget the "best biscits in the world"to the fair for the contest.Justin entered In the shoe kicking contest,the Greasy pig catching contest.A giri not much older than him won a cake baking contest.His grandfather won the biscuit contest,justin said he could smell the smell of popcorn and B.B.Q chicken.

A gentle story with a slow pace and little action, this reads almost as sleepily as a Henry Huggins. Then you get to the jarring fact that Justin's father was killed in a car accident, and Justin has to make do with a houseful of females. When he can't muster the organization needed to clean his room or do the dishes without making a mess, Justin breaks down in tears. Clearly, a father figure is needed, and Justin's grandfather arrives to whisk him away to a picture-perfect ranch hours away from Justin's usual urban environment.

Grandpa takes Justin in hand and teaches him how to take care of himself. He learns to do "women's work", which isn't as demeaning or demanding as Justin had previously thought. The ranch itself is described in nostalgic terms, beautifully imagined. I wished I was there.

Justin learns how to check out the fencing on the ranch and prepare meals in the open. He reads about his family history in a book he notices in Grandpa's room. The reader learns a little history about black cowboys and exodusters, African Americans who went out west to take advantage of the Homestead Act. The notably grisly episode of an exoduster getting his hands cut off by night riders (whites who felt threatened by the exodusters' departure) was fairly shocking in such a sweet story.

The book culminates in Justin's trip to the Bill Pickett rodeo. There he wins some ribbons for skills he didn't know he had; makes a new friend at a pie-eating contest; and gains some self esteem. The `best biscuits in the world' are those that Grandpa entered in the contest. Justin learns the recipe and makes them for his impressed family.

I liked how this book educated the reader about black cowboy history, but didn't preach. The information was brought in naturally and didn't take center stage. This book would be of interest to most third graders.

Justin is a whiny, lazy, sexist kid who is miraculously transformed by a trip to his grandpa's. There were some interesting references in this book, but it just wasn't believable. The title was boring and so was the plot. It did make me curious about Black cowboys, but that wasn't enough to keep my attention.