Summer Reads: The Fabled Fifth Graders of Aesop Elementary School

One of the ARCs I picked up at the ALA convention was The Fabled Fifth Graders of Aesop Elementary School, by Candace Fleming.

I do poetry workshops and write for fifth grade, so it was a must-have book.

However, the minute I got home from the convention, my 10-year-old daughter snagged it. "I'm reading this one first!" she said. I gave in. After all, she's the rising fifth grader in the house.

Here is Miss J's review.

The Fabled Fifth Graders of Aesop Elementary School, by Candace Fleming.
(ARC provided by Random House Kids, pub date 8/2010)

Overall: It was really funny because there were a lot of parts that definitely wouldn't happen in an every day type of school. It was very strange and creative. It was also funny because most of the kids' names had something to do with the way they acted or what they were like.

Story in one: It's about a bizarre fifth grade class that has many funny and awkward adventures.

Fave characters: My favorite character was probably Rose Clutterdorf. I liked her because she was a very bright character, but she always managed to smear and smudge almost everything she owned -- including her desk and clothes.

Fave part of story: The other teachers are in the teachers' lounge when all of a sudden and man and his class come in wearing Aztec headdresses. This is the main class and their teacher, Mr. Jupiter. He is very strange and has been through many adventures all over the world and has collected a lot of stuff.

Another favorite part was when Mr. Jupiter brought in a big box and inside of it was their new class pet. The box was really big, so the kids thought that the pet must be really big and amazing. They were hoping for a unicorn, a pink headed duck, or at least a giant squid.

Cover: My favorite part about the cover is the boy and he has a guinea pig on his head. I like the guinea pig. I like that the title is the Fabled Fifth Graders of Aesop Elementary because Aesop wrote a lot of fables, so it makes sense but it's also very funny.

Recommend it to a friend?: Yes. I really enjoyed this book and anyone who has a good sense of humor, I would recommend it to.

SCORE: Sundae!


Our Summer Reads Scoring System
Empty Cone: Didn't like it
One Scoop: It was okay.
Two Scoops: Pretty good.
Three Scoops: Great book!
Sundae: I want to read the whole series. Now.