Stinky Stern Forever: A Jackson Friends Book (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "Pa Lia Vang yawned..." (more)
Key Phrases: Stinky Stern, Tou Gher, Matthew Velvel Stern

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Starred Review. Grade 1-3–This fourth book in the series focuses on a potentially scary and emotionally charged theme: the death of a classmate. Pa Lia Vang doesn't like Stinky Stern, the bully of her second-grade class. But late one day, on his way home from school, he is hit by a van in full view of the child. She learns later that evening that he has died. When the students take turns remembering him, Pa Lia is unsure of what to say. In an honest and sensitive series of remembrances, the author never allows her characters to sugarcoat or gloss over the boy's past injustices. The children acknowledge the truth about their relationship with Stinky, but also express their sadness and confusion about his death. Edwards's expressive black-and-white computer-sketched illustrations provide additional details about the characters and setting. The author handles the topic with skill and sensitivity, a significant accomplishment given the vocabulary and structural constraints of the easy-to-read chapter-book format. While the subject matter is indeed serious and the tone, for the most part, somber, children who have experienced the loss of a classmate or friend will find hope in this honest presentation.–Carol L. MacKay, Camrose Public Library, Alberta, Canada
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From Booklist

Gr. 1-3. In this latest entry in the Jackson Friends series, second-grader Pa Lia Vang is upset when fellow classmate Matthew "Stinky" Stern intentionally ruins her intricate, cut-paper snowflakes. On the same afternoon, though, Stinky is killed by a car. The next day, Pa Lia's wise teacher invites students to share their memories of Stinky, and Pa Lia has conflicted emotions, because she never liked the boy. She works through her complex feelings by drawing pictures of episodes in Stinky's life, as recounted by her classmates. Finally, when a boy stands up and announces that he never liked Stinky but will still miss him, Pa Lia comes to better understand her feelings. Edwards manages to portray deep and complicated emotions through simple language in a short book for young readers. Her computer-generated, black-and-white illustrations add to the story's emotional depth by representing Pa Lia's thought processes as she struggles to understand the frightening events. An excellent exploration of the difficult subject of death. Todd Morning
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 56 pages
• Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books; 1 edition (August 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152163891
• ISBN-13: 978-0152163891
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,567,666 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Important Book, September 13, 2005

By	California USA - See all my reviews

The Jackson Friends books have always struck a chord with me because they take on real issues that affect real kids. And Stinky Stern Forever is no exception. The author handles the emotions, fears, and situations that come up after Stinky is hit by a car in this story in a gentle, yet poignant way without ever being overly simplistic or sentimental. The result is not only deeply moving, but also stands out as one of the very few young illustrated chapter books that deals effectively with this extremely sensitive topic. Stinky Stern Forever has the potential to be *the* book about coping with death for this age group.
I can't help but comment on the review titled A Kid's Review that appears below. This story is indeed upsetting to read, but certainly no more upsetting than such Disney classics as Bambi or The Lion King. And in the end, the story is a hopeful one because Stinky's classmates find their own special way to remember Stinky--the good and the bad. Death, sad and confusing as it can be, is part of life. And it's something many, many kids must face.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding book about grief, September 12, 2005

By	Reader from Rice Lake (Rice Lake, WI USA) - See all my reviews

I've used this book in all my booktalks to teachers and librarians this year. Sensitively written, with attention paid to the emotional reactions of the children and adults who must deal with the death of someone they know -- even when it's someone they don't particularly like or who was mean, which is the case with Matthew (Stinky) Stern. The teacher's guides provided on the author's website provide discussion questions that will help when talking about this book -- whether you're a teacher, librarian, parent, or caregiver. This is another excellent addition to the Jackson Friends series, which many of the teachers we've talked to are using because of the varied backgrounds of the students in the book.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars pretty deep, October 22, 2005

By	Melissa Sack (georgia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Stinky Stern is the 4th book in the Jackson Friends series. "Stinky" is the class bully. In art class he messes up Pa Lia Vang's snowflake on purpose. He is always doing mean things. Later that afternoon when school is out Stinky is involved in a terrible accident that leads to his death. Follow the students in room 201 as they learn to cope with the tragic death of a classmate.



The book discussed the issues of bullies well. This book could lead to some great classroom discussions.



Dealing with the death of a classmate can be really hard for young kids. This book could get them to talk about their feelings.