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The Chalk Box Kid
Random House is proud to present the tenth anniversary edition of a book Publishers Weekly called "a gem of a book...a story that goes straight to the heart."When nine-year-old Gregory experiences several upsets in his life, he responds by creating a fantastic chalk garden on the charred walls of a burned-out factory behind his house.As his garden grows and flourishes, Gre...more
Hardcover, 64 pages
Published
November 12th 1987
by Random House Books for Young Readers
(first published September 1st 1987)
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The Chalk Box kid was a fun and easy read. I think children in about 1st or 2nd grade would enjoy this book. This book is about a young boy by the name of greg that was force to move away from the area that he grew up in on the day of his birthday ( talking about a bad birthday). This was the worst birthday for greogry ever, the lost of his father job had force the family to move into a smaller home. The home was very old and small, but one thing that made greogry day is that he got his own bedr...more
A GARDEN IN THE EYE OF THE BEHODLER
Three burned and sooty walls prove an irresistable lure to a lonely 9-year-old boy. Friendless in a new school in a decaying neighborhood, and disrespected by his unemployed young uncle, Gregory discovers the remains of a chalk factory behind his cement-filled back yard. Who says he can't have a garden like the other kids in his class--it's in the eye and the heart of the gardener, after all. In this case the gardener is a budding artist, who wants to recreate...more
Three burned and sooty walls prove an irresistable lure to a lonely 9-year-old boy. Friendless in a new school in a decaying neighborhood, and disrespected by his unemployed young uncle, Gregory discovers the remains of a chalk factory behind his cement-filled back yard. Who says he can't have a garden like the other kids in his class--it's in the eye and the heart of the gardener, after all. In this case the gardener is a budding artist, who wants to recreate...more
The Chalk Box Kid by: Clyde Robert Bulla (1987) -Beginning Reader Picture Book
This book is about a boy named Gregory who moves to a new house and attends a new school. He has to deal with making new friends, his Uncle, and other challenges. He loves to draw and paint. Gregory begins to draw in the burned building behind his house that used to be a chalk factory. At first nobody appreciates his drawings but then he gains friends and understanding.
Themes: Art, Making Friends, Overcoming Obstacles,...more
This book is about a boy named Gregory who moves to a new house and attends a new school. He has to deal with making new friends, his Uncle, and other challenges. He loves to draw and paint. Gregory begins to draw in the burned building behind his house that used to be a chalk factory. At first nobody appreciates his drawings but then he gains friends and understanding.
Themes: Art, Making Friends, Overcoming Obstacles,...more
The book tells the story of Gregory's transition into a new school. During the move his family does not seem to be supportive. We are led to believe that he lives a lonely life. As school begins he is treated rudely. It isn't until he finds a burned building behind his new home that he begins to adjust to his new surroundings. He used the new building to make an urban garden by drawing on the black walls. This modern day garden helps him become noticed by not only his teachers and classmates but...more
Jul 01, 2012
Nate Daniels -The Piano Player-
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Book lovers
Shelves:
classics
After Gregory moves to a new neighborhood, he feels left out at his new school. After a few days of staying at his annoying uncle Max's house, he finds a burnt building behind his house. He cleans it up, and finds some chalk.
When he swept the floor, he found little pieces of something white. He showed one of them to Mother. "It looks like chalk," he said. "It is chalk," she said.
Whenever he figures out it's a chalk factory, Gregory decides to draw some sketches with it. A few chapters after, he...more
Very short, easy chapter book which we did as a read aloud. The story was flat, quiet, and pretty sad. Even at the end when he made a friend, all they did was sit quietly. Nothing wrong with that, but Bea's opinion was that nothing really happened and she didn't see the point. I couldn't really argue. It wasn't so much that nothing happened. It was just that the way it was written made it sort of feel like you were seeing it happen through the wrong end of the binoculars.
this is a story about being thankful for what you have and not lamenting what you don't. when we firat meet Gregory he claims it is the best birthday of his life. why? because he has a bedroom of his own in a rundown tiny house his family had to move to for his dads work. not a party or the newest greatest toys. ..a bedroom. Gregory is gateful for what he has. he creates amazing artwork in a burned out building using chalk. because it is what he has.
Realistic Fiction. "When nine-year-old Gregory experiences several upsets in his life, he responds by creating a fantastic chalk garden on the charred walls of a burned-out factory behind his house. As his garden grows and flourishes, Gregory finds a voice through his art and, for the first time, is able to find his own place in the world."
I liked this story because in the beginning Gregory was a sad, lonely boy in a new school. By the end of the story, through his artistic abilities, he became...more
I liked this story because in the beginning Gregory was a sad, lonely boy in a new school. By the end of the story, through his artistic abilities, he became...more
Mar 26, 2012
Marcia
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
grades-1-3,
grades-2-4
A really well written story for young readers. A boy starts a new school, when his family moves to a new house, and has trouble making friends and fitting in. He loves art and finds a way to "grow a garden" in a burned out building. A touching story, and so nice to see real life issues (parents losing job, living in a run down neighborhood, uncle who can't hold a job...) included in an honest, realistic way.
If you have a beginner reader, then this is a nice chapter book to begin them on. Gregory is a 9 year old boy who is struggling with his new surroundings. He finds himself escaping reality by visiting his private art room behind his house. Using simple chalk, he creates things he wishes he had in reality. A little too perfect ending is a minus, but the moral is there and it's a nice book for a quick read.
Feb 17, 2013
Cheryl in CC NV
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
read-for-mt-tbr-challenge
Deceptively simple, with some rather rich themes. The power of imagination is only one, there's also a bit about bullies (fortunately just teasing, not fighting) and friendship and a place of one's own. Of course it's very like The Hundred Dresses but with a boy, and more up-to-date. Lovely.
This book is about a boy who moves to a new town. He is faced with the difficulties of making new friends, getting used to a new house, and going to a new school. He learns to love the place when he finds an old abandoned Chalk Factory behind his house. He uses things he finds in the factory to create a make believe garden for himself. He also unexpectedly makes a friend along the way.
The story is about a boy moving to a new neighborhood and creating a magical world in a very unlikely place. I felt so sorry for Gregory in the beginning because his family just moved and they forgot his birthday. Then he has to share his bedroom with an uncle he doesn't like. In the end Gregory triumphs with a remorseful family and a class full of new friends.
This book just may be the best of all the many heartwarming stories that I have read from Clyde Robert Bulla. I grew to deeply love Gregory in these few pages. The majestically understated skill of Clyde Robert Bulla is at its best here, and the drawings of Thomas B. Allen are extraordinary. I would recommend this book to anyone.
A lot of emotional depth for such a simply-told story. My first-grader read this for school. She picked up on the main message but some of the subtlety might have been better absorbed if she were another year or so older. I saw another reviewer suggest it's reminiscent of a Raymond Carver short story. I agree.
I really liked this book. It was a short chapter book, but it had so many good things in it. The only thing that I disliked was that the simple sentences became very repetitive for reading out-loud in a couple of parts. I was praying for a compound sentence.
A solid and spare (and somewhat gothically illustrated) children's story that reads like a Raymond Carver short story. It feels true and the pay-off at the end feels genuine. It concerns a boy who works out his inner turmoil over his family's recent move by creating a garden mural in an abandoned chalk factory behind his house. What really gives the book its refreshing uniqueness is the bleak, unpatronizing language (though there are a few unfortunate exclamation points) and the fact that the ca...more
A sweet story about a boy who creates a garden masterpiece with an abandoned wall, and some chalk. A nice book for kids, as it tells a story of peer acceptance and a sense of self.
I read this with some second graders who really loved it and couldn't wait to finish it. I thought it was okay and the ending bugged me, but for 8 years olds, it's great.
Jul 10, 2009
kc
added it
my mom bought me this book when I was in 2nd grade because she liked the illustrations (by Thomas B. Allen). I really did love the page where his "garden" is shown. :)
Apr 24, 2013
Leslie
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
children-s,
dig-into-reading
Moving to the city, Gregory doesn't have space for a garden, but finds he can draw a garden on the walls of a deserted building next door. Grades 2-4
A nice, gentle book about a boy dealing with a new neighborhood and school. Clyde Robert Bulla has written many excellent chapter books for the younger child.
Read entire book today in about 10-15 minutes. It was recommended by a friend I'm considering disowning. I felt sorry for the little boy whose parents put the lazy uncle first while ignored him and his loneliness. How do you spell loneliness?
A grade school story of a boy artist who struggles to make friends at a new school. Katherine thought she wouldn't like this, but ended up wanting to hear it over and over.
This is a VERY quick read. But it was still a very good book because I liked all the creativity that Gregory had.
This is a book about a young boy who uses his creativity to make a garden bloom in a most unusual way.
Beginning reader: A great story about a boy who finds a place of his own where he can make his own garden.
Beginning Reader. I liked this story! I may use it for a unit about kindness and recognizing peoples talents.
I love this book as a kid and I still love it now as an adult. A quick read full of imagination.
Really good book. Deals with a lot of drama but also is a more mature version of Tomie DePaolo's The Artist.
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Born to be a Writer
Almost as far back as he can remember, Clyde Robert Bulla wanted to write. Born on a farm in a small town in Missouri, Mr. Bulla's first school was a one-room country schoolhouse. One day his teacher asked each first grade student what he or she would do with a thousand dollars. Young Clyde answered that he would buy a table. His classmates laughed heartily, and his teacher was...more
More about Clyde Robert Bulla...
Almost as far back as he can remember, Clyde Robert Bulla wanted to write. Born on a farm in a small town in Missouri, Mr. Bulla's first school was a one-room country schoolhouse. One day his teacher asked each first grade student what he or she would do with a thousand dollars. Young Clyde answered that he would buy a table. His classmates laughed heartily, and his teacher was...more
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