The Fabled Fifth Graders of Aesop Elementary School

September 1, 2010

Gr 3-5-The reputation of the fifth graders of Aesop Elementary School precedes them and no one wants to teach this rowdy group. Luckily, Mr. Jupiter, their intrepid, world-traveling, fourth-grade teacher, is willing to step up to the challenge. As the other teachers breathe sighs of relief, Mr. Jupiter revels in exposing this exuberant group to unusual and exciting information. From singing Burmese guinea pigs to ancient texts such as The Babylonian Book of Babble, which actually produces a thunderstorm, Mr. Jupiter has all that it takes to keep their attention. Just when it seems that the over-the-top silliness and slapstick humor are going to overtake the story, the chaos is put into perspective by a moral at the end of each chapter. These morals highlight a lesson learned by the class or, in some cases, a particular student, and provide readers with the realization that something special and noteworthy has taken place. Kids will appreciate the teacher's efforts on his students' behalf and wish they had one like him. Suggest this title for reluctant readers and those who enjoy the humor of Sarah Weeks's Oggie Cooder (Scholastic, 2008) and Dan Gutman's "My Weird School Daze" books (HarperCollins).-Tina Martin, Arlington Heights Memorial Library, IL

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2010
Grades 3-5 In this follow-up to The Fabled Fourth Graders of Aesop Elementary School (2007), the students are not so much characters as single character traits; it serves as revelation at books end when a few of them act outside of their usual modes. The incidents are mostly exaggerated school-day circumstances, including amusing interactions with the art and music teachers, but a few episodes veer awkwardly into the supernatural, as when one boy stumbles upon The Babylonian Book of Babble, which summons storm clouds. Flemings story wont disappoint fans of the previous book, but the determinedly zany humor is not for everyone.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)

September 1, 2010
Mr. Jupiter, adventurer turned teacher, has agreed to stay on for another year with the most dreaded group of kids in Aesop Elementary history. Twenty fifth-graders, especially these twenty, promise to be a chal-lenge. We know he is up for them when he compares them to a bungee-jump off the Empire State Building and catching the Loch Ness monster. Following the same format as she did when these kids were in fourth grade, Fleming tells her tale through connected short stories that each end with a moral (it's not called Aesop Elementary for nothing!). Mr. Jupiter leads his class, clad in Aztec headdresses, into the school, dancing and wing-flapping all the way. And the moral? "Birds of a feather flock together." The names of the characters -- from Bernadette Braggadoccio to Humphrey Parrot -- let the reader know that things are going to get silly. We go through the year from projects to spelling bee to graduation, and after two years together, this crew is sad to say goodbye to the teacher who has made it all possible. A rare adventure -- one that many teachers and students will take to heart. robin l. smith

(Copyright 2010 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

January 1, 2011
Adventurer-turned-teacher Mr. Jupiter has agreed to stay on for another year with the most dreaded students at Aesop Elementary. Following the same format as she did when these kids were in fourth grade, Fleming tells her tale through connected short stories, each of which ends with a moral. It's a rare adventure--one that many teachers and students will take to heart.

(Copyright 2011 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)