The Very Worst Thing [Hardcover]

Torey Hayden (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up

David doesn't
belong anywhere.

He isn't good at school, or talking to people, or making friends. He's been in six different foster homes, and he can't really remember his parents. It seems like he'll never have anything all his own.

Then he finds an owl egg. With the help of Mab, the skinny "girl genius" of his class, he names it King Arthur and sets out to hatch and raise an owl of his very own. As they wait for King Arthur to hatch and as they raise the funny-looking owl chick, Mab and David become true friends.

But Mab's father thinks they should return King Arthur to the wild. Can David give up his owl? Is it even the right thing to do? What can David do if the worst thing of all happens?

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-7-Two outsiders warily become friends and join forces to hatch and raise an owl in this problem novel. David, 11, has been shuttled between foster homes for years. Now he has been placed with a woman who has the patience to deal with his stuttering and dyspraxia, and he begins to make great strides thanks to her understanding; his new friend, Mab; and King Arthur the owl. It is David's insecurity and need for closeness that doom the animal, but the friendship itself survives. David and Mab are successfully developed characters, but the secondary characters are not as well delineated. The hatching and development of the owl keep the story moving and help to compensate for some of the plot details that seem tacked on. David's story is adequately told, and the author wisely leaves some of his problems unresolved. This book may find an audience where outsider tales are in demand.
Faith Brautigam, Gail Borden Public Library, Elgin, IL
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Torey Hayden is an educational psychologist and a former special education teacher who, since 1979, has chronicled her struggles in the classroom in a succession of bestselling books. She currently lives and writes in North Wales, U.K., with her husband and daughter.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins; 1 edition (May 27, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060297921
• ISBN-13: 978-0060297923
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #766,448 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Torey Hayden is an educational psychologist and special education teacher who, since 1979, has chronicled her struggles in the classroom in a succession of best-selling books. She lives in North Wales with her daughter.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This is a good book, May 1, 2004

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Very Worst Thing (Library Binding)

Hi,

I'm a 6 grader that has some problems with school like David does. My teacher read this book with me and my class. We liked the book because it is one of the only ones that we found that talks about someof the same problems many of us have in school and it helped us when we have to explain it to our other friends who arent in our class and think we are stupid, but we are not. One of the other kids in my class is a foster kid to and he never said much to anyone but he likes the book because he said he knows what david is going through.
I dont usually read much but I might want to read this book again.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful book, May 4, 2004

By 

Audrey (Portland, Oregon) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Very Worst Thing (Library Binding)

As a bookseller, I sort through thousands of books per day, and nothing quite measures up to the work of Torey Hayden. Her latest endeavour into the children's book world is no exception. THE VERY WORST THING is all at once interesting, thrilling, heartwarming, and suspenseful, sure to keep kids thinking long after they put the book down. It is certainly a must-have for any classroom or library, and will make a glowing addition to your personal collection as well!

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Essential Classroom Read, April 29, 2004

By 

Yvonne (Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Very Worst Thing (Hardcover)

As a classroom teacher, I am always looking for those books which draw students in, creating a world in which we, as a class, can enter. The Very Worst Thing is one of the best books I have used in my classroom. Torey Hayden confronts issues which our children face but often have difficulty articulating. The Very Worst Thing prompted discussions about bullying, standing up for what you believe, family, foster care, love, friendship, and keeping wild animals in captivity. Each afternoon after I read, my students would beg me to, "read another chapter." My students identified with David and I continue to hear, "remember what David did..." as my students relate their lives to The Very Worst Thing. We invited a wildlife expert to our classroom, and he was impressed with my students' knowledge, which came from their experience with this book. If you are the kind of teacher who enjoys real-life novels which inspire, challenge and open dialogue, you will find a gem in The Very Worst Thing. I did!