Customer Reviews

Why Pick On Me? (Marvin Redpost 2, paper)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

At the beginning of every school year, I read Marvin Redpost:Why Pick on Me? to my new 4th graders. Marvin has to deal with abully in his class who starts a rumor that Marvin is a nose-picker. Everyone believes the rumor is true, even Marvin's 2 best friends. Marvin's family supports him, and he resolves the problem in an interesting way that leaves the bully looking rather foolish. This is a funny book, a sad book, and an insightful book. I read it to my students to open up a discussion about bullying and teasing. There's a big lesson to be found in this little book.

Let's face it, kids can be cruel. Marvin Redpost goes to 3rd grade where kids are kids and adults sometimes don't investigate the situation completely.

While playing ball, Marvin is accused of picking his nose by the class bully. Like most bullies, he is just looking for something to taunt Marvin with and nose picking happens to be it. Of course, Marvin wasn't, and of course, it upsets him. He tries to stand up for himself, but everyone is so caught up in how funny-gross it is that no one is listening. The trouble starts with neither Marvito the wound. Very soon, Martin himself, now friendless, begins believing that he's a disgusting person. That is, until inspiration strikes and he finds out that we're really all very much alike (I'll not spoil the ending for you!!)

Sachar has done a tremendous job of taking the subject of bullying and elementary school obsession and putting it into a very readable form for young children. Bullies will bully and try to turn everyone against that one poor soul they don't care for at any chance they get. What often gives them more power, oddly enough, is the victim denying the bully's accusation; in this case, Marvin vehemently saying that he DOESN'T pick his nose. By Marvin constantly talking about it, he's actually feeding into the situation without knowing it. Better in these cases to ignore it and let it drop.

However, most elementary school children don't realize the power of ignoring mean comments like that or realize that the person doing the bullying will soon get bored with the whole thing if you don't respond. Though this tactic wasn't taken in "Why Pick on Me?", it's still a good suggestion for the "alternative solution" crowd who may use this in schools.

Sachar also treats the subject matter with tact, knowing that nose picking can reduce a class to screams of "eeeeew!" in a heartbeat. He doesn't add unnecessary details about the act, but nor does he shy away from it. Therefore this book is very likely to draw in even reluctant readers because they'll want to see what happens next!! In a world where we could all use a little more respect, Marvin shows us that we're all the same: human.

I loved reading this book as much as my child did (maybe even more). It is a story about a boy who gets unfairly picked on and in the end teaches us all a little lesson. Sachar is a gifted writer who remembers what it is really like to be a kid. A truly enjoyable book!

The book Red Post is an interesting and funny book. The book is about this kid that was playing wall ball and the ball went over the line. Then the kid he was playing against caught it but he said that it didn't go over the line. Then another kid said it went over the line. Then the kid that thought it went over the line, told Marvin to shut up because you were not watching, you were over there picking your nose. After that every body started to laugh. He said that he was not picking his nose and they all kept on laughing at him. The next day he figured out something and at school he kept on asking every body if they heard about what happened yesterday and he told every body that he didn't pick his nose, everybody kept laughing at him because he kept on reminding them. Then his own friends would not play with him any more.

The book's message is that if you're doing something don't say anything because they might catch you they will tell everybody and they could embarrass you. If they catch you do not ask everybody if they heard about yesterday because they will start laughing and you are the one that is reminding them about it, so don't tell them.

My opinion is that this is a good book. I liked it I think it is an interesting book and I would read it again. There were a lot of funny parts and it was a real cool book. I liked the book a lot.

Louis Sachar, possessing tremendous range as a children1s lit master, bring us the Marvin Redpost series---smartly designed for the mid-second grade reader. The second in a now lengthy series, Sachar has poor Marvin---a likable rolly-polly sort of lead---embroiled in controversy. When a close call in a Wallball game leads to verbal sparring, a yard bully accuses Marvin of committing that most grievous of all elementary school sinsÐpicking your nose. Naturally, such an accusation makes for wildfire gossip around school and soon it seems the entire world (even Marvin1s teacher) seems to believe a most disgusting truth about our hero. Marvin1s solution for his way out of this mess is a brilliant stroke of psychology (and comic writing) and serves to illustrate some basic truths about being human. Not splashing on the same sort of wackiness as in his Wayside School pallet, Sachar offers up an easy ironic touch in the Marvin Redpost series.

The Marvin Redpost series is an ideal beginning Adopt-a-Book, blending approachable vocabulary with a straight-forward, yet sage storyline There is one Stumper that may be particularly helpful to kids, arising when Marvin1s teacher pens her report card comments. Another in a fine series that may hook kids on Marvin after they sample some as Adopt-a-Books...

Marvin Redpost is a young 3rd grader who picks his nose. Everyone makes fun of him. I felt bad for him when they would call him names. My favorite part is when he comes up with the idea that he should write a survey for the class... Sure enough everyone said that they did pick their noses. I think that it is very brave of them to say yes. I like Marvin.

Have you ever picked your nose? Well, everybody at school thinks Marvin did. This story is packed with boogers and yucky situations. You are going to read how Marvin solves his problems at school, caused by Clarence the bully. Everything starts with a ball game; the ball was over the line!!!
We recommend this entertaining book because we read it aloud in class and we laughed a lot!

Funny and disgusting, read it to find out if Marvin really picked his nose.

Has someone ever said something horrible about you, which wasn't true? Louis Sachar's book Marvin Redpost: Why Pick on Me? deals with just that. This book is the second in the series of the Marvin Redpost series. This series shows the struggles of being a third grade in Mrs. North's class.
Marvin Redpost, a red-headed nine year old little boy, has new lessons to learn in each book. Marvin is the middle child in his family, with his mother, father, older brother Jacob, and younger sister Linzy, and you can't forget Marvin's lizard, General Jackson. His family is prominent in each book, and sometimes provides guidance for young Marvin.
In Why Pick on Me? Marvin has to come up with a survey question to ask all of his classmates and his teacher for his social studies project. While he was coming up with a really great question, recess came around. He was playing wall-ball and was up against Clarence, the biggest boy in his class. Marvin won at wall-ball but Clarence denied it and quickly changes the subject yelling that "Marvin picked his nose!" The whole class, including the teacher catches on. Marvin can't believe that even Mrs. North thinks he picks his nose! Marvin, the nose picker, believes he is the most disgusting boy in the world now. What will Marvin do to stopped being picked on about picking his nose? Also, how in the world can he finish his social studies survey question with the whole class making fun of him? (Read the book to find out!)
Overall, this book was excellent in dealing with problems that the primary grade children (Kindergarten to Second) would deal with. We would highly recommend this book and many of the Marvin Redpost books to be read aloud as a group in the classroom. This will create a great learning environment for discussions about others' feelings. Louis Sachar really has created an amazing series for children, parents, and educators to love.
Kelly, Katherina, and Lauren
EDRD 303

In the world of 2nd graders, where the word "booger" sets off shouts of laughter, this book is a boy's delight. His parents will love the quiet, intelligent way Marvin sets about silencing the school bullies. If you only read the beginning, and quit because you hate the bullying, you will miss the whole point of the book.

Louis Sachar at his juvenile-writer best.

These are great books. It is one of a series and they are full of entertainment. I like them a lot. My mom sends them to me since I am away at school. These are great books to read and easy to read and understand.