I don’t know why I bother reading the Goodreads reviews for young adult/early elementary literature. I keep going back hoping to read something that won’t make me huff and roll my eyes and curse humanity. I’m like the person who is allergic to peanuts and applies for a job at the Skippy plant. I should really know better and yet there I am, huffing and rolling and cursing.
Here is the most important thing you should know about The Whipping Boy: IT’S A CHILDREN’S BOOK. The grade level equivalent for this book is 4.0, so 4th grade. The Lexile Measure� is 570L, the DRA is 40, and the Guided Reading Level is R. This a book for the average 4th grader.
Got that, People of Goodreads?
As a piece of young adult fiction, The Whipping boy earned a Newberry Award. I’m not sure why.
You’re not sure about a lot of things, Jessica. You’re not sure what young adult means. I can tell you it doesn’t mean “books for 3rd and 4th graders.” You’re also not sure how to spell Newbery or what it awards. The Newbery (one ‘r’) celebrates children’s literature, not young adult literature. You’re thinking of the Michael L. Printz award.
This book is simple, but entertaining. It’s a quick, easy read. I remember reading it at some point during elementary school and enjoying it then. Reading it lately, though, it seems that it might hold more interest for kids than adults.
I can’t imagine why a children’s book would hold more interest for kids than adults. I’m stunned and once I wake up from my stupor I will view life through a new lens.
Yes, it’s entertaining. But the Newbery? This is such a doggone short book that I’m surprised it even made it onto the discussion table in the first place.
+10 points for spelling Newbery right
-05 points for using the word doggone
-95 points for assuming the Newbery has a page requirement
Final Score: -90
After reading “The Hunger Games,” this book seemed incredibly simple…
Please stop thinking.
This is a terrible book that I was forced to read in fifth grade. I was put into a group of other kids who were also made to read this miserable piece of fiction against our will, and it was so bad, that I was able to persuade my teacher to put me in another group. I thought it’d be better, but everyone else in that group were way ahead of me and understood a lot of it. It was called “The Westing Game” and it was by some guy who doesn’t know how to write, and it would take me forever to catch up to the other kids. I never did, so I was put back in the Whipping Boy’s group again, but the kids in that one had already finished it.
Snort. OK, so this guy actually made me laugh.
Please, understand this is a book for children. I would give this book, which I very much enjoyed, to 3rd and 4th graders. I will encourage my reluctant readers in 5th and 6th grade to give it a try. It’s a great read aloud book, too, because it is so short. I plan on reading it to Nico and Mikey, who have not read the Hunger Games, thankyouverymuch.
Those comments are too funny! Hope Nico and Mikey enjoy the book :)
Hahaha maybe this is the problem with adults reading too much ya fiction? (I’m not a hater, I love it too)? They think all kids books are for them.
I can just see the review for “Pat the bunny”… Very little character development, shaky central theme… ;)
Just this spring I read a YA book with a similar premise: Alex London’s Proxy. In that, poor children serve as proxies to the rich, taking their physical punishments when they do wrong. In trying to find the title of it, I just came across this interesting NPR piece on the role of economic distress in recent YA dystopian lit: http://www.npr.org/2013/09/30/226472708/whats-terrifying-teens-in-todays-ya-novels-the-economy. Wonder if London was inspired by Fleischman in some way?
I just caught a glimpse of your new ‘currently reading’ title… snickers & buttercup really have done a number on you! hehe ;)
Ha! I haven’t read The Whipping Boy in years. My son is going into the 3rd grade, so I think that will be on the list of books we’ll read. Thanks for the reminder!
This is awesome. I remember reading this book aloud to my little brother when I was 12 and he was 7. We both enjoyed it. :)
Ha! This reminds me of the time I was reading reviews for Merrell shoes with a Vibram BAREFOOT sole and someone complained that the soles were really thin and offered no support making her feel that she might as well be barefoot.
I remember reading The Whipping Boy in school. No idea how old I was, but I do know I liked it. Love these “reviews of reviews”.
I’ve been loving this series on Newbery winners – I looked through the Buzzfeed quiz and it brought back such memories. I think my favorites were Rifles for Watie and The Witch of Blackbird Pond. Was also just thinking of Kate Seredy’s The Good Master the other day, only to find that one of her other books made it on there! So many books I never see anywhere, anymore, on this list…
Yes we need more of your “review of reviews”! People are always so quick to pan something, doggone it! BTW – Love the book recs. My too-busy husband is currently reading Eleanor & Park now :)
oh, mercy!! these reviews!! i know we had multiple copies of this book available when i taught third grade (and not much else)!! i used it with kids and we all enjoyed it. i think it can provoke some good discussion.
Tee hee–please make this reviews-of-reviews a recurring thing!! Hilarious!
Reading all the Newberys is such a great project. In theory I’ve been wanting to do that, but it may not ever happen. So reading about yours will be a great next-best-thing. Looking forward to it!