Author Day for Room 3T (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Chuck Richards (Illustrator) "The students in Room 3T can't wait for Friday..." (more)
Key Phrases: visiting author, Harry Bookman

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 3–Preparing for an author visit is a daunting endeavor, and creating a "larger than life" figure can lead to unexpected, "larger than life" surprises. After weeks of reading all of Harry Bookman's books, making up songs about his stories, dressing up as his characters, and formulating lots of questions to ask, the children in 3T have conjured up images of a rock star, a movie idol, or, at the very least, royalty. The librarian has told them that authors are actually just ordinary people, but the kids don't believe her. A surprise furry visitor makes a remarkable entrance and presentation, convincing them of their guest's uniqueness. Without her glasses, the nearsighted librarian misses the visual cues in this hilarious case of mistaken identity. When the tardy speaker–a very ordinary man–arrives, puffing and panting, the students respond, "Too bad you missed him, because now we understand what all the fuss and bother was about…. Authors are not ordinary people like you and me." Richard's exuberant illustrations are the perfect foil to Pulver's understated text. The dynamic perspectives, topsy-turvy settings, and goofy caricatures make this sublimely silly offering a surefire hit. A great springboard for any author visit.–Marian Creamer, Children's Literature Alive, Portland, OR
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

K-Gr. 3. Pulver offers a wacky take on an Author's Day that goes awry. The kids are reading the works of Harry Bookman and thinking up questions for him. They expect someone "new and different," and that's what they get. Here the book takes off on a seriously silly path, as a dressed-up chimpanzee, complete with bowler hat, arrives at the school. Let the monkeyshines begin! The sly text never mentions the visitor's species. Instead, it takes a droll tone; the teacher loses her glasses and can't see the author, so she assumes he has laryngitis. The kids ask their questions--and get answers (e.g., the chimp kisses "his favorite book"). Then the keeper from the Animal Talent agency comes to take away the chimp escapee, opening the way for the real Mr. Bookman, whose arrival is an anticlimax. Richards does an exceptional job of extending Pulver's concept. The watercolor-and-colored-pencil artwork has a crisp clarity, and exaggerated expressions and unexpected perspectives add humor. The concluding suggestions for a good author's visit will warm the heart of visiting writers. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Clarion Books (May 23, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0618354069
• ISBN-13: 978-0618354061
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 8.6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #994,425 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Many jokes in the text and pictures reward reading and re-reading, November 28, 2006

By	Jennifer Robinson "Editor of Jen Robinson's B... (San Jose, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Author Day for Room 3T is a picture book for early elementary school kids, written by Robin Pulver and illustrated by Chuck Richards. It's a bright, colorful book in which much of the story is told through the zany, over-the-top pictures. Kids will feel in on a private joke as the pictures accent the relatively restrained text.

The story begins as the kids from Room 3T of Lerner Elementary School prepare for a visit by a very special guest: Harry Bookman, "a real live author". The kids read all of Harry Bookman's books, decorate the library with a big banner, draw pictures from the books, and act out the stories as plays. They have a hard time picturing the author as a regular person, and wonder things like "Do authors get thirsty."

The fantasy sequences (where the kids imagine what the author will be like) are clearly set apart, each a monochrome image of a different base color, in pointillist style. There's one where the kids imagine the author arriving in a space suit, stepping out of a rocket ship. Because "If authors were ordinary, why all the fuss and bother about this one?"

The kids are surprised, but delighted, when the author arrives through the window, jumps up on the tables, and swings from the ceiling. He fulfills their every expectation that authors are NOT ordinary people at all. This is helped by the convenience of the teacher (Mr. Topple) falling, and having to go to the nurse's office before meeting Harry Bookman, and the librarian (Mrs. Storey) losing her glasses, and not being able to see him. But the kids see him for what he is.

There are many little jokes in the text and pictures, to reward reading and re-reading. I love the picture of one girl reading while standing on her head, blond braids strewn across the floor. There's also a place where Mr. Topple is lecturing, and we see one of the kids drawing a caricature of him as a monkey (before the author arrives). And, of course, the names of the school and the characters are all tongue-in-cheek.

The book ends with a page of "Harry Bookman's Tips for Hosting a Successful Author Visit." I can see this book encouraging kids to push for author visits at their own schools (though they are likely to be disappointed when regular people show up, and don't swing from the rooftops). Overall, I think that Author Day for Room 3T is a fun book that will get kids excited about author visits, and make them laugh. I think that authors who have made school visits will also enjoy it.

This book review was originally published on my blog, Jen Robinson's Book Page, on November 28, 2006.

5.0 out of 5 stars The Kids in Room 3T Have a Great Visit! , October 15, 2008

By	Lynn Ellingwood "The ESOL Teacher" (Webster, NY United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This is a very cute book about an Author's Visit. The kids think that the author must be extraordinary due to the stories he writes. The teacher tries to prepare the kids for an ordinary guy. Who come to class is anything but ordinary. What fun!

5.0 out of 5 stars Hilarious!, February 21, 2007

A Kid's Review

Robin Pulver, author of the hilarious "Axel Annie and the Speed Grump",
presents kids with yet another book that will make kids of all ages roll around on the floor, literally laughing their pants off!

Author Day for Room 3T brings us to a class that is very, very excited... they are going to have a chance to meet their favorite author, Harry Bookman! Naturally, since Mr. Bookman writes amazing books, he must be an amazing person. The class really gets into planning for the visit, re-reading all his books, drawing pictures, making up songs, even dressing up as his characters and acting out his stories for the kindergarten class. Even though the librarian, the aptly named Mrs. Storey, tells the class that Mr. Bookman is an "ordinary (person), like you and me", the class doesn't believe it. If all authors are ordinary people, why fuss and bother over them?

When a surprise visitor hops through the window into the library, the kids are certain it's Mr. Bookman. Never mind that he throws his ice cubes everywhere, jumps up and down on furniture, and even swings from the ceiling. The kids are certain that this chimp-like critter is the one, the only, Henry Bookman!

Robin Pulver's fantastic story couples marvelously with Chuck Richards' hilarious illustrations. Every picture is so in-depth, with even the posters on the wall being incredibly detailed. This book will appeal not only to kids, but also those of us that have always viewed authors as being people of near-mythical status. I highly recommend this book as a must for every well-equipped bookshelf.