My Special Day at Third Street School [Hardcover]

Eve Bunting (Author), Suzanne Bloom (Illustrator)

Book Description

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

Third street school is buzzing with excitement as the students prepare for a visit from author Amanda Drake. The kids have read all her books. They've hung a welcome banner in the hall, and pinned drawings on the classroom walls. Then the big day arrives and Amanda Drake is everything the kids hoped she'd be. She reads stories, cuddles the classroom animals, and tells the kids what it's like to be a writer. When Amanda Drake's visit comes to an end, the students don't want to see her go. In the days following, the students are inspired to write their own stories. But Amanda Drake does one more thing that makes her visit to Third Street School special indeed. Eve Bunting's happy book is written in playful rhyme and illustrated with zest by Suzanne Bloom.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 4--Bright, splashy watercolors grace the pages of this rhyming story about an author's visit to a school. The students' preparations, such as decorating the room and thinking of questions to ask, are described and depicted as they get ready to welcome Amanda Drake. The faces of the diverse children are individualistic and expressive, exhibiting a variety of moods and thoughts. The spreads pull readers through the action and reflect the movement and excitement of the characters. As the story ends, youngsters learn that Amanda Drake has taken a student's idea and written this very book about a school visit. Bunting presents a wonderful display of the kinds of things that can happen when good educators, interested students, and talented writers connect. Bloom uses bright colors to create a realistic and inviting setting, paying great attention to details including the teacher's desk and science projects displayed throughout the room. Just as Amanda Drake inspires the children to use their imaginations and write stories, this delightful book will encourage readers to explore their own creativity.--Erlene Bishop Killeen, Fox Prairie Elementary School, Stoughton, WI
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From Booklist

*Starred Review* K-Gr. 3. Writers are often advised to write about what they know, but few could turn the humdrum routine of a school visit into such an engaging picture book. In rhyming couplets, a boy tells how his class prepares for author Amanda Drake's arrival: reading her books, decorating the room, making lemonade, baking a cake, and discussing what questions to ask (and not to ask). The writer appears, makes a terrific impression, and motivates the children to write their own stories later. Meanwhile, the narrator has made a suggestion to Miss Drake that inspires her next book, My Special Day at Third Street School. The circular nature of this clever revelation will please children as much as the naturally cadenced text and cheerful artwork. Just as Bunting's writing captures the action and the children's emotions in a convincing way, Bloom's gouache, colored pencil, and crayon artwork illustrates the contemporary classroom setting and the children's body language to perfection. An upbeat choice for reading aloud before author visits, though Amanda Drake will be a tough act to follow. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Boyds Mills Press; 1 edition (March 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1590780752
• ISBN-13: 978-1590780756
• Product Dimensions: 11.4 x 8.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,272,587 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Eve Bunting has written more than 200 books for children, many of which can be found in libraries around the world. Her other Clarion titles for very young readers include My Big Boy Bed, which was also illustrated by Maggie Smith, and Little Bear's Little Boat, illustrated by Nancy Carpenter. She lives in Pasadena, California.