Substitute Teacher Plans [Hardcover]

Doug Johnson (Author), Tammy Smith (Illustrator)

Book Description

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

A substitute teacher plus a simple mix-up equal adventure!

"Miss Huff looked over her class and sighed deeply.
Sarah was sticking her tongue out at Emily.
Billy was making faces at Carl.
Nancy blew such a big bubble that she floated across the room and got stuck in Francine’s hair."

Miss Huff loves teaching, but she could sure use a day off. When she accidentally mixes up her plans for the substitute teacher with her day-off activity list—well—things get pretty crazy. After all, how many substitute teachers can build a monstrous sandcastle, parachute from a plane, and swim underwater . . . with an octopus?

Put down your pencils and strap into your seats, because this class is about to experience some serious turbulence!

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

When her students start swinging from the light fixture and growling like wild animals, Miss Huff calls in a substitute and makes two lists one for her vacation day, the other for the substitute teacher and then she mixes up the lists. The book alternates between Miss Huff happily following the lesson plan ("Reading 9:15 to 10:30") and the children as they ride a roller coaster, go skydiving, etc. With their wide eyes and wide mouths, debut illustrator Smith's clay people look as eccentric as the day's agenda as they cavort at the beach, meet an octopus while scuba diving, and discover that Mrs. Martin, the substitute, is also a lion tamer ("That's why Mrs. Martin was such a great substitute teacher. Anybody who could train lions could handle kids"). Johnson (Never Babysit the Hippopotamuses!) dampens the excitement with a resolution that arises from neither characters nor action ("Although the children had fun with Mrs. Martin, they really loved Miss Huff, even if they didn't always show it"), but Smith's computer-assisted collages, favoring loud reds and purples, frequently add humor (Miss Huff's cat seems to groan when "mouse" is the winning word in their Scrabble game). Ages 5-8.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-3-A too-tired teacher takes a personal day after carefully making plans for her substitute and the class, and for herself during her time off. In her weariness, Miss Huff inadvertently reverses the activities lists, to everyone's delight. As the children and the sub go off to ride a roller coaster, skydive, build a huge sand castle, and so on, the teacher happily settles down to read, write, practice math by paying her bills, etc. The clay, acrylic, collage, and Photoshop illustrations are lively, and Smith supports this fine flight of fancy with diverse, fantastical figures. When Miss Huff returns the following day, she finds a thank-you note from her stand-in. The principal arrives asking for an explanation and is promptly invited to join Miss Huff and her class to take acrobatic flight training. An amusing read-aloud that more advanced youngsters can read alone, this festive book will delight school-bound children and teachers.
Jody McCoy, The Bush School, Seattle, WA
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR); 1st edition (August 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805065202
• ISBN-13: 978-0805065206
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 8.8 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #795,465 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A book for young readers just beginning to attend school, September 5, 2002

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Substitute Teacher Plans (Hardcover)

Doug Johnson's Substitute Teacher Plans is an engaging picture book showcasing the charming story of a substitute teacher whose class day plans get mixed up with a list of recreational activities, making for the most exciting day of school ever! Meanwhile the teacher uses her list of class activities to guide her day off, and learns that fun and relaxation can come from learning too. Remarkably illustrated with incredible, vivacious, colorful three-dimensional scenes created by an artist Tammy Smith, Substitute Teacher Plans is a blast of a book for young readers just beginning to attend school.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A "Must Have" in all Substitute's Bag of Tricks!, May 23, 2009

By 

Laurie K. Velkov "Mrs. V." (Long Beach) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Substitute Teacher Plans (Hardcover)

Since, some years I am a substitute teacher and some I'm not, I have to be ready for anything. This is the perfect addition to my substitute "Bag of Tricks". This book is hysterical and students of all ages adore it. This book is perfect for "breaking the ice" or "rewarding" good student behavior at the end of the day. I take this book with me to all my day to day assignments, students from K - 5 love it!! This is a MUST HAVE.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars substitute teacher plans, July 27, 2007

By 

yellow rose of maxton "marieantoinette" (seattle WA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Substitute Teacher Plans (Hardcover)

A delightful book. I am a substitute teacher and read it to some of my classes. I usually get raves.