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Star Jumper: Journal of a Cardboard Genius
by
Frank Asch
Self-proclaimed genius inventor Alex is convinced that his little brother Jonathan is evil. The kid never shuts up. He's a klutz, and he drools on his pillow when he sleeps. Jonathan's specialty, though, is sticking to Alex like glue -- and sticking his nose into his big brother's business.
That's why Alex has to leave Earth and fly so far away that no one will ever be abl...more
That's why Alex has to leave Earth and fly so far away that no one will ever be abl...more
Hardcover, 128 pages
Published
February 28th 2006
by Kids Can Press
(first published 2006)
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Star Jumper by Frank Ash is journeys through the life of a young scientist/inventory named Alex. He is a self proclaimed mastermind who narrates his personal account through his journal of a cardboard genius. Alex has on major problem; his brother. Six year old Jonathan always seems to make life difficult for Alex. He is always prying and always annoying Alex when he is working on his inventions. However, older brother Alex is smarter and stronger; he has come up with the greatest idea which wil...more
Very cute early-ish chapter book, perfect for second grade. Our narrator, Alex, is a scientific genius who has figured out how to make a spaceship out of cardboard boxes, all to get away from his annoying younger brother Jonathan. Alex's voice is authentic and age-appropriate (I know Jonathan is 6, but unclear on how much older Alex is), and his perspective on Jonathan and his parents is always deadpan and frequently hilarious. Most of the narrative is spent with Alex and Jonathan as the younger...more
Jun 24, 2011
Sarah Shufelt
added it
Self-proclaimed kid-genius Alex despises his younger brother Jonathan. Alex uses his technical skills and random things gathered from around his house to create a spaceship to get away from Jonathan. Alex is successful, but he returns home quickly. He then invents other ways to escape or anger his younger brother. While the sibling rivalry and use of outer space in the book might be appealing to young readers, the book lacks a satisfying end and the continuous sibling bashing is disconcerting....more
3.5 because the main character is so mean to his little brother. Written on a fourth grade reading level, but younger readers would enjoy it, although some scientific terms mentioned throughout (like string theory) might be even over fourth graders' heads. Overall, it was enjoyable, but overly embellished in exaggeration of impossible events. Even a cardboard genius can't jump through walls, fly to space, or shrink people with cardboard and everyday household items. However, this story might enc...more
Book talk: Einstein has nothing on Alex. Sure, Einstein has the theory of relativity to his name, but Alex has created a spaceship from only cardboard, duct tape, and other scraps found in the attic of his parents' house. Life is bound to be lonely in space, and Alex will miss his parents and his friends, but it will be worth it to get away from his little brother Jonathan. Until then he has to put up with him though, which can get in the way of his work. His brother's annoying ways are the reas...more
I haven't read it, in fact, but my 8-year-old son really loves it. This has resulted in some enormous cardboard constructions, which I'm cool with. Wandering the alley in search of junk to use is less fun for me, but I am pleased by his focus on this project.
Also: he's stopped bugging me to give him a sibling, so that's a bonus.
Also: he's stopped bugging me to give him a sibling, so that's a bonus.
this book celebrates the confident imagination of a young boy who claims throughout the book to be inventing a spaceship (and all of its component parts) from cardboard boxes and pieces of junk throughout his home. it’s been awhile since i’ve read a book for this age group (early chapter book readers) that does this trick of seeming to be based in reality (there are no aliens and we’re not in the “future”) but whose main character is so convinced that he can make a functioning spaceship and “dup...more
I like this book, because it has all of these inventing going on. I really want to be a scientist in the future, so this book is really interesting to me. It talks about a boy named alex had a little brother which is really annoying, so he decided to invent a space ship and escape earth.
This is a Maud Hart Lovelace nominee about a boy who is sick of his younger brother. He thinks he is beyond Einstein smart and it is a clever breezy story about siblings and using imagination to deal with annoying situations. I think it would be a good read aloud.
Have you ever just wanted to get away from a little brother or sister? Kid genius Alex is determined to do just that... so determined that he builds his own spaceship to travel far enough away that his brother can never find him. Will Alex's plan work?
this was an awsome book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Alex has a new baby brother, Jonathan, whom he hates. Thank goodness that Alex is a scientific genius and an inventor; he figures he must do something to get away from Planet Earth to avoid the evil child. Great read!
3rd or 4th grade reading level. Older brother is a genius who can create amazing devises out of cardboard and other household objects so decides to build a space ship to get away from his annoying younger brother.
I learned that kids LOVE to make things from junk. I cleaned out my storage room and brought all sorts of things to school for October's PK Book Club. You wouldn't believe all the space ships that were constructed!
Early reader chapter book. Grades 2-5. Alex is planning to leave Earth in his cardboard space ship because his evil younger brother is making him nuts. The 1st in a series.
This is a cool book that really goes into the fancies of a kid making a spaceship and leaving this world to get away from his younger brother.
A decent kids book that just tries too hard. I thought it was clever and even a little interesting, but just kept finding myself wanting it to end.
Great book for 2-3-4 Grade boys. I think of it as what happened to Harold of 'Harold and the Purple Crayon' when he got a bit older.
Ben enjoyed this story and marveled at how they made a device to go to space out of cardboard and using 2 double a batteries!
Cute and I like the imagination of the boy. He's pretty harsh to his little brother though...I had to reword some stuff for J.
I have to read this for third grade and I'm not that "excited" to read it but when I looked at it it kind of looked like diary of a wimpy kid.
Why oh why would a book written for little kids have hatred for a little brother as a plot point?
Just a lot of fun. Full of imagination. Great little book.
Great little series for boys who are reluctant to read.
Creative look at sibling rivalry and space travel.
This book is awesome and it wasw funny
I liked the battle johnathan's vs alex's.
Fun chapter book for the Wimpy Kid crowd.
you can make a lot of stuf out of cardbord
Very cute book for all ages.
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Frank Asch is an American children's writer, best known for his Moonbear picture books.
Asch published his first picture book, George's Store, in 1968. The following year he graduated from Cooper Union with a BFA. Since then he has taught at a public school in India, as well as at a Montessori school in the United States, conducted numerous creative workshops for children. He has written over 60 bo...more
More about Frank Asch...
Asch published his first picture book, George's Store, in 1968. The following year he graduated from Cooper Union with a BFA. Since then he has taught at a public school in India, as well as at a Montessori school in the United States, conducted numerous creative workshops for children. He has written over 60 bo...more
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Jun 12, 2012 12:38pm