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102nd out of 136 books
—
545 voters
The New Kid
by
Mavis Jukes
Newbery Honor Award—winning author Mavis Jukes is back with a lovable new character named Carson. His father moves him to a new town in Northern California, where he'll be the new kid in class—friendless and alone, except for his beloved stuffed moose (named Moose, of course). As Carson settles into his new surroundings, a series of delightful mishaps start to occur: the c...more
Hardcover, 288 pages
Published
December 13th 2011
by Knopf Books for Young Readers
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The New Kid is not your average school story. The way it is told has a different feel than most other juvenile novels focusing on a kid in school, and sort of hovers right in between being the kind of intentionally absurdist comedy that Roald Dahl specialized in, and a more traditional, straightforward narrative about getting along in a new school with unfamiliar peers. I wasn't at all times entirely sure what to make of this book while I was reading it, but maybe that's a sign of a good writer...more
What I liked a lot: It's an extremely believable classroom world full of specifically drawn characters. Many of the characters are spot-on distillations of some classic classroom types but are nuanced and not at all stereotyped (the twinly best-friend girls; the loudmouth, slightly berserk but warmhearted and creative classroom nuisance boy; the inventive but sometimes exasperated teacher). Several of the scenes wherein a creative lesson plan goes awry are laugh-out-loud funny. The relationship...more
Jun 13, 2012
Lindsay
rated it
1 of 5 stars
Shelves:
california,
class-clowns,
adoption,
rats,
rodents,
private-school,
school,
moving,
ar-4-1,
for-middle-grades-4-8,
fathers,
grandparents,
grandfathers,
grandmothers,
children,
dogs,
family,
friends,
friendship,
growing-up
It had potential. I think the reason why I didn't enjoy this story is that Carter has a very nice, advantaged life. So he moves away from his grandparents, but they fly out to visit him anyway. He also has a super easy time making friends at his new school. Oh, and I forgot to mention the Porsche his dad drives and all the time his dad spends with him, which includes baking Carter cookies. I just wouldn't recommend this book to a child who wants to read books about moving or being a new kid at s...more
The story is slow and plodding but there are some good points in this sweet, gentle but kind of dull read. The boy is an adopted child of a single dad, they have a good relationship and the dad is very sweet. I am just not sure many kids would get through the story, and the minutia of Carson’s day. However, it is how kids sometimes see the world so maybe they will dig it. Hmm, the other reviews seem as perplexed as me.
This is a fun read as a teacher, and would suit many kids- moving, new school, etc. Even more so, a beginning teacher might benefit from reading it. The dedication says it all. This story and characters are strong and appealing, but to me (as a teacher) I was even more impressed at the seamless way so many outstanding classroom practices were woven throughout.
I thought this was a very nice book. It has a bunch of different families in it but doesn't preach at you. For example: Carson is raised by his single father, there is another boy who lives with his grandma, etc. This book also was very good at describing how it feels to be the new kid.
Realistic fiction about a 3rd grader moving to a new town. Well written, interesting characters, and some humor, but not too much of a plot. For readers who like school/friendship stories. Also, for people looking for characters who are adopted or single-father families.
Liked it just enough to give it three stars, but it is a bit slow going. It's sweet and gentle. A bit too long for early chapter book readers, but with the eight year old protagonist and the meandering plot, older readers might not be attracted.
Carson is the adopted child of a single fatherwho has be start in a new school very different from his former private Montessori school. No surprises here. He makes new friends and has some interesting experiences.
This book would help a student who moves to a new town where he's the new kid in school. Carson is an adopted child living with his dad and has to deal with a boy in his class who may or may not be lying to him!
The cover is great, right? But the book is kind of dull... Nothing really happened. The characters were lovely (I would totally date the dad), but there is no arc to this story. Yawn.
On the did not finish shelf only because I liked the first 1/3 but HAVE to move in to the other 10 on my desk. Read enough to book talk it.
This book is short on action and long on character, which is fine when the character is as sweet as Carson, the New Kid. I enjoyed it.
Great Elementary read about a boy of a single father and how their lives unfold in a new town and new school
oh so painful I didn't even finish it. boring writing, boring--unrealistic--characters.
This book is an example of contemporary fiction for the ages of of intermediate (I) readers. This eBook is written by an author who has recieved several award winning books for children and teenagers. This is a great story that offers a lot to the plot that many young children can relate too. Carson and his father must move. Carson is faced with making new friends and getting used to a new atmosphere. This book provides comfort and reassurance to young children going through the same obstacle. E...more
I loved the sweet relationship between Carson and his dad!
Didatic. Wordy. Inconsistant P.O.V. No real plot.
Nov 30, 2012
Heidi Gauthier
added it
I think it is really awsome!
Hard to follow sometimes.
This a sweet story about a single parent family consisting of a boy and his dad. They have just moved, and Carson is now the new kid in school, which involves figuring out Wes, the biggest problem in the class. Dad really wants Carson to come to his own conclusions about Wes, which requires both patience and wise words. The story is a realistic dad-son relationship, and we need more of these!
I really wanted to like this book, but I just didn't. It was very slow and while I can appreciate kids chapter books that focus in on the minute details of a kid's everyday life this one just didn't live up to it's book jacket summary. I think this would be a very hard sell to a kid and even a parent, though the author is a Newbery Honor winner.
May 15, 2013
Cara
marked it as ya-to-read
Apr 22, 2013
Vanya
marked it as to-read
Mar 12, 2013
Bousey24
is currently reading it
Feb 09, 2013
Jasmine
marked it as to-read
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Mavis Jukes (born May 3, 1947 in Nyack, New York), is an American author of novels for children. She has also published nonfiction books for children and pre-teens about puberty. Her books are usually health-based.
Before becoming an author, Jukes was a lawyer and a teacher. Her first book, No One is Going to Nashville, was published in 1983. She lives with her husband, the sculptor and painter Rob...more
More about Mavis Jukes...
Before becoming an author, Jukes was a lawyer and a teacher. Her first book, No One is Going to Nashville, was published in 1983. She lives with her husband, the sculptor and painter Rob...more
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