The Last Day of School [Hardcover]

Louise Borden (Author), Adam Gustavson (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 7, 2006 | Age Level: 7 and up

The shool year is coming to an end, and everyone at Albert E. Chapman Elementary School is counting down, including Mrs. Mallory's third grade class. In the last weeks of school there is much to be done, from putting away supplies to cleaning out desks to finding a summer home for the class pet, Rhoda.

Now -- finally -- the last day is here! Matthew Perez, one of Mrs. Mallory's students, has a perfect good-bye gift for his teacher, and he can't wait to give it to her. But when is the right time? Not in the morning when other kids are giving their gifts. Not during the Last Day fun of kickball and ice-cream treats. Will Matt get his chance before the school day is over?

The last Day of School will resonate with all children who know the excitement, energy, and bittersweet emotions that the final days of a school year bring.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-4–From giant lollipops given to the kids with perfect attendance, last day treats and poems, and shirts that say Summer! to a vacation-home raffle for Rhoda the hamster, the students of Chapman Elementary–wiggly kindergartners to cool fifth graders–say good-bye to another school year. Third-grader Matthew Perez holds a special gift for his teacher until the final seconds of an unforgettable day. His wish to wait until the final bell creates a last flutter of missing-a-good-friend panic as he comes close to losing his chance to give the gift before his bus leaves. Varied sizes of colorful oil illustrations accompany the tale of Matts patient delivery of the perfect gift. True to a childs remembrance of final school days, each page recalls memorable moments for students and teachers.–Mary Elam, Forman Elementary School, Plano, TX
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Gr. 1-3. School's out for the summer, or almost. This paean to the last day of elementary school explores these bittersweet hours, from the clearing out of desks to making Last Day hats to wear in "a spur-of-the-moment parade." Though the lengthy text is broken up into short lines, it's not a poem. The sentimental narrative meanders, flashing back in time to develop the relationship between teacher Mrs. Mallory and third-grade student Matthew Perez, her special timekeeper who always resets the classroom's faulty clock and eventually becomes the focus of the story. Will Matt find Mrs. Mallory and deliver his special gift to her before it's time to get on the bus? Gustavson's colorful oil paintings (somewhat reminiscent of Georg Hallensleben's work) are appealing, though a few too many of them feature Matt furtively clutching his secret present. Readers will guess his surprise, but that won't ruin the suspense or tarnish the emotional ending when Matt finally unveils a working clock to his favorite teacher. Karin Snelson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 7 and up
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books (March 7, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689868693
• ISBN-13: 978-0689868696
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #148,076 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Born (Oct 30,1949) and raised in Cincinnati, I have lived in Ohio my entire life except for two years in Massachusetts right after I was married. Growing up in an old house on a steep street, I attended a small elementary school called Lotspeich. There, all the marvelous shelves of books in the library shaped me into a lifelong reader. So it is a thrill for me to know that some of my books are being read by children in other libraries all over the country.

Before I became a full-time writer and speaker, I taught preschoolers and first graders and was even a part-owner of a bookstore in Cincinnati.

Today, it is hard for me to separate my writing from the way I live my life. My own family, personal experiences, and friendships, as well as a love of history and travel, have rich and lasting connections to the books I write. The first impulse to write a book is always triggered by something that has touched me indelibly.

In addition to my writing, my work in schools allows me to travel the incredible variety of landscape in Ohio, and meet the heart of its people. I have spoken in over 400 schools across the country, but mostly in Ohio. Because of this, I now have lifelong friends in communities from mighty Cleveland to small-town Greenville.