Customer Reviews

Stanford Wong Flunks Big-time

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This is a really fun, fast-paced, moving novel about Stanford Wong's summer. Instead of going to basketball camp like he had planned, his parents make him attend summer school. By the end of the book, Stanford opens up his mind and heart to different types of friends, the joy of reading, and a strong belief in himself.

The book is filled with humor and poignancy and wonderful characters such as Stanford's dim sum-obsessed grandmother, his silent best friend, and the nerdy genius Millicent Min. This book is a joy to read.

Which of the following summer activities does not fit with the other three?
a) Hanging with your best friends
b) Impressing the new girl
c) Attending summer school and being tutored by a geek
d) Taking part in a basketball camp coached by your favorite NBA player

The obvious answer is c, right? Well, Stanford thought the same thing, but he was forced to attend Mr. Glick's summer school class because Stanford flunked his class earlier in the year. He even had to be tutored by Millicent Min, a genius/nerd in order to get a better grade so he could be the only sixth grade player on the basketball A-team. Unfortunately, that is not his only problem!

In Stanford Wong Flunks Big Time by Lisa Yee, Stanford is a normal seventh grade boy, but he is an "academic underachiever," according to his father. That doesn't bother Stanford, of course, because he has a one track mind of basketball, basketball, and more basketball. Stanford's ever feuding parents cancels his camp with the amazing Alan Scott and hires him a genius to enhance his intellectual ability so that he can pass and live up to his perfect older sister, Sarah. Stanford is in complete disbelief because he hates school, but, with the help of Millicent, Stanford becomes a tiny little bit more interested in grades and a lot more interested in Millicent's best friend, Emily. In addition, Stanford's parents have placed his grandma and friend, Yin-Yin in an assisted living home. Finally, Stanford's friends, The Roadrunners, are getting suspicious of his daytime whereabouts. Summer is supposed to be fun, right? Wrong!

This book is not exactly a slam dunk, but it makes the grade. There is not one huge plot, but rather a collection of many problems. I liked how the book was written in first person journal format. It perplexed me, although, how Stanford writes awful in school, but perfect in his journal. I wish that the author incorporated more surprising twists and turns into the text, because I felt the story was somewhat predictable, which made it boring at times. On the positive side, Stanford, Millicent, Emily, and the other characters were often hilarious and conveyed the personalities of seventh graders well. Lisa Yee wrote a book from Millicent's view entitled Millicent Min, Girl Genius before portraying Stanford's outlook, but it does not need to be read prior to this book. I would recommend this book to all middle school students, especially for kids who do not normally enjoy reading, because they will relate easily to Stanford.

Overall, Stanford Wong Flunks Big Time is a worthwhile read.

Lisa Yee's debut middle grade novel, Millicent Min, Girl Genius rocked my funny bone! When I heard her sequential novel was soon to be released, I honestly had my doubts. How could she top Millie? Really, Lisa Yee didn't need to outshine her first novel; she needed to maintain that literary glow. And she did. She most certainly did. Stanford Wong Flunks Big-Time is the story within Millicent Min, Girl Genius spun around and turned on its head. Now it's Stanford's turn to share his life with us-feelings that range from fear of an impending divorce between his parents, to insecurities with friends, to his very first crush. Lisa Yee brings out the soul, the heart, the mind of what it is to be "boy." Bring on Emily's story, Ms. Yee, I'm ready!

I haven't enjoyed a book so much since I read Millicent Min, Girl Genius (also by Lisa Yee). Although it's basically the same story told from another point of view, seeing things through a boy's eyes was eye opening. Lisa Yee really captured the humor of the male adolescent. Each page is either a knee slapper or a tear jerker. I just loved it. My only regret is that Henrietta Gowin (a character in the first book) didn't play into this story. Oh well, maybe she'll be back in the next version.

I loved MILLICENT MIN, so I couldn't wait to read this book. It was different but totally great. I didn't know that boys thought like that. I felt sorry for Stanford because of his dad and everything. It wsa very funny too. Especially the fart test!

Lisa is a terrific writer. "Stanford" is a terrific read. I read "Stanford" out loud to my son, age 8, and he loved it.

Lisa Yee writes books that are a must-read. One of the main characters is Stanford, who flunked English. He has to take summer school classes instead of going to Professional Allen Scott's basketball camp. Why? Is what you are probably saying to yourself. Well, it is because he flunked sixth grade and needs to pass in order to go to seventh grade. Also, to be the first seventh grader on the A-basketball team at Rancho Rosetta Middle School. Stanford didn't think it was fair to take summer school classes, but it turns out to be a good thing to do. He found a girlfriend who really likes him, but he realizes she is friends with his tutor. He lost a friend and is out of his gang. Later, his buddies turn down the guy who got rid of Stanford. Then they form their gang and Stanford decides that he should dye his hair purple.
The reason I like this book the most is because the characters are great. They are full of action, and they are all entertaining to me personally. Stanford's father is as mean as a hungry lion, and his mother is as nice as a dolphin. Stanford's mother never causes any trouble in the house and tries to take care of everything. Also, when his father gets mad at Stanford, Mrs. Wong tries to calm Mr. Wong down. Mr. Wong is mean all the time because he wants Stanford to go to Stanford University like he did. But realizes that just because you're smart doesn't mean everybody has to be smart. Stanford is very good at basketball and no one in history is better than him. Stanford is like Michael Jordan, except better. Stanford is like coals, flaming and cold. At times Stanford gets really flaming, mad, when his parents fight, but other times he gets cold, sad, and he runs away to his grandma's retirement home. But returns to his helpless home. His friend's are the best in the world because Lisa Yee gave this book great characters. As a result Lisa got me into this book because of Stanford personality and his friends. I personally love this book the most because of the way Lisa Yee setup the characters. Lisa added spice to the book with the characters. The book's plot is like the soup and the characters are like the spices.
In conclusion, I hope you will enjoy the fascinating characters and I hope you will tell others that they will like this book. This is going to be on one of your top ten books to read, trust me. Have Fun!

Stanford is having a bad summer. Instead of going to basketball camp he have to summer school, since he failed english and what is even worst is that he is getting tutor by Millicent Min who is very smart.He dicide to not tell his friend that he failed english or they will abandon. His grandma went to live in a nursing home. His parents are always aguring and pretty Emily Ebers won't like him any more if she finds out. Near the end everything is a mess. His friends and Emily found out he lied to them. Read the book and find out what happens to Stanford Wong!

By: Nils N. Lake Stevens, WA
You can really tell Lisa Yee loves to write.
Stanford Wong Flunks Big-Time is her second book and will tell you why not to flunk a grade. If you like basketball you would like this book. Stanford Wong is the only 7th grader to make the A-Team but flunks English. Now he has to take summer school, get tutored, and still practice basketball. There are 296 pages in the book and the AR level is 3.5.

This story begins on the last day of school. His last class is English. Mr. Glick was passing out graded tests and got to Stanford and said, "See me after class". Over the summer he was going to go to the best basketball camp in the world, but that all changed when he got home. When his academically obsessed father saw the big, fat F he flipped out and got rid of camp, got a tutor, and got Stanford enrolled in summer school.

This book has many different genres. It was funny, active, adventurous, and interesting. There is mostly action and humor though. It is a realistic fiction book. I liked the writing style, it is written in first person.

I enjoyed this book very much. On a scale from 1 to 5, I would give it a 10! The reason I liked it so much is because it just kept going, from purple hair to riding donkeys at a basketball game. I would recommend this book to anyone!

Millicent Min has become one of my favorite kid books (I've recommended it MANY times), and this is a very fine follow-up. It's a completely different voice (which is an impressive thing!), but it's got the humor and heart of the first book too.

Yee is definitely an author to watch (and read)!