Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
15th out of 40 books
—
2 voters
The Fabled Fourth Graders of Aesop Elementary School
Here's a chapter book of contemporary fables about a rambunctious group of fourth graders and their amazing teacher—the globe-trotting, Mayan-ceremonial-robe-wearing Mr. Jupiter—that is sure to delight students and teachers alike. There's Calvin Tallywong, who wants to go back to kindergarten. But when he actually gets the chance, he's forced to do the squirrel dance and w...more
Hardcover, 192 pages
Published
August 14th 2007
by Schwartz & Wade
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
683)
Although it was perhaps a little bit TOO "punny" for my tastes, I can see how elementary school kids would get a real kick out of this as a read-aloud. Each chapter in this story of the notorious fourth-grade class at Aesop Elementary tells one of Aesop's fables in a new way, though the original morals are included at the end of each chapter. My favorite character, of course, is the school librarian, whose name is--are you ready for it?--Paige Turner. It was a fun, light read that has definite a...more
2 likes
·
like
· see review
view all 3 comments
Summary from the inside left flap: The fourth grade students at Aesop Elementary have a reputation for being . . . Rambunctious, Precocious, Special.
Take Calvin Tallywong. He wants to go back to kindergarten, but he should be careful what he wishes for! When Calvin actually gets the chance, he's forced to do the squirrel dance and wear a yellow school bus name tag. How will he ever escape?
And then there's Amisha Spelwadi, who can spell wildebeest, no problemo. She's sure she'll ace her spelling...more
Right away, I found myself disliking the story...the goofy names of ALL the students (too many characters introduced at one time), and the rude children (not funny) made a slow start for me.
By the time I got to page 21, I was wondering if the author lost sight of who the audience was for the book. The librarian was turned on by meeting Mr. Jupiter and words like caressed, shiver, wild abandonment, trashy romance novel, trembling...all left me scratching my head. This is for the fourth grade min...more
By the time I got to page 21, I was wondering if the author lost sight of who the audience was for the book. The librarian was turned on by meeting Mr. Jupiter and words like caressed, shiver, wild abandonment, trashy romance novel, trembling...all left me scratching my head. This is for the fourth grade min...more
Strongly reminds me of Sideways Stories from Wayside School. Each chapter centers around a main character and wraps up with a moral from Aesop's Fables. Some of the morals fit the story better than others. So far, I'm enjoying the book and would recommend it to students, though it's not one I would choose as a read aloud or small group novel.
Final verdict -- I liked it and found most of the stories amusing, but I don't think it's a fantastic book.
Continuing connections -- If You're Not Here, P...more
Final verdict -- I liked it and found most of the stories amusing, but I don't think it's a fantastic book.
Continuing connections -- If You're Not Here, P...more
Nobody wants to teach the 4th graders at Aesop elementary—they’ve been a troublesome group since kindergarten. But then along comes Mr. Jupiter (with his seemingly unending list of experiences), who willingly takes on the challenge. Without crushing their high spirits, Mr. Jupiter manages to teach the class some life lessons that just may not be in the school’s curriculum.
I found some of the students endearing and some just plain annoying. Their names are inside jokes for adults (Stanford Binet,...more
I found some of the students endearing and some just plain annoying. Their names are inside jokes for adults (Stanford Binet,...more
This book was so cute and funny. It retells Aesop's fables in the setting of a bunch of rowdy fourth graders. The characters are entertaining and the author has a good sense of humor along with some good puns. My favorite story was the one that made fun of standardized testing. "We're taking the E.S.B.A.F.C.A.E.FG.A.E.'s, otherwise known as the Every State Basic Abilities and Fundamental Cognitive Assessment of Essential Fourth Grade Achievement Evaluation Test." Hahaha that whole chapter cracke...more
May 26, 2010
Elissa
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
3rd/4th grader
Shelves:
read-with-my-boys
I read this book along with my 3rd grade son, who was reading it for a book report project. I recommend it. It was silly in a way that was engaging and entertaining to him (he's a sometimes reluctant reader, but really liked this), as well as really clever. Characters have silly names that are relatively intellectual puns (like the librarian named Paige Turner; extra points if you get the reference to Shakespeare, in the skull "substitute" being named Mrs. Yorick). The name of the school is a hi...more
I'm reading a lot of middle elementary literature recently and perhaps I'm starting to get tired. There was nothing inherently wrong with this book. Candace Fleming creates interesting situations among fourth-grade students which are solved in unusual and often absurd ways. My problem was that I also recently read one of Louis Sachar's Wayside School books, and Aesop can't stand straight against Wayside. I also was waiting for more tie-in with mythology or the Aesop fables. I got the morals of t...more
Nobody wants to teach the fourth graders at Aesop elementary school, especially their previous teachers, when Mr. Jupiter, who is as interesting as his students, suddenly appears at the school. The book has stories about the students' (and teachers') funny classroom adventures, each one ending in a well known moral.
This book starts out kind of funny and gets better and funnier as it goes. At first I thought adding the morals was not needed, but as the book went on, I found that it really added...more
This book starts out kind of funny and gets better and funnier as it goes. At first I thought adding the morals was not needed, but as the book went on, I found that it really added...more
a brilliant and hilarious collection of stories about a group of fourth graders at Aesop Elementary School who each have their own unique personalities. My favourite story was the one where Bruce and Lenny get caught b the school librarian (Miss Paige Turner, lol) looking at certain pics in 'International Geographic' magazine rather than paying attention to her lesson on the Dewey decimal system, so each week when they have their library time she hides the Geographics in different places within...more
I really thought that this book had great potential to share with my fourth graders who study Aesop. Each chapter is a modern school fable, complete with a moral at the end. Unfortunately, the teacher's character never comes alive - he's quirky, but that's about it. Also a little too much bathroom, immature humor to warrant reading the book aloud to a class. And the librarian character - a fluff brain who tries to reinvent herself in a helpless, feminine way - that's as bad as the stereotype of...more
Aesop's fables get a modern retelling in this quirky book, reminiscent of Louis Sachar's Wayside School. I particularly enjoyed Fleming's take on "The Tortoise and the Hare." In this version, two kids take part in a poetry race, trying to see who can memorize the most lines of poetry in a week. The not so surprising ending gives new meaning to "slow and steady wins the race" and reminds us that there's a poem for everyone.
It's also clear that Fleming is no fan of No Child Left Behind, and I got...more
It's also clear that Fleming is no fan of No Child Left Behind, and I got...more
I thought this book was really charming and reccomend it especially for reluctant readers. This is a modern day Aesop's Fables, with short chapters, making it a very easy read.
I am not even sure they should be called chapters, rather individual short stories that all kind of tie in together to make a thoroughly delightful book.
I believe it would make a fine read outloud book as well, whether for a classroom or to read with your own child. Each chapter ends with a moral.
I really believe this t...more
I am not even sure they should be called chapters, rather individual short stories that all kind of tie in together to make a thoroughly delightful book.
I believe it would make a fine read outloud book as well, whether for a classroom or to read with your own child. Each chapter ends with a moral.
I really believe this t...more
Eh. I didn't enjoy this one really all that much. Last year it was a Sunshine State Reads book and a lot of those books have interested me and when I saw this one for $4 I didn't want to pass up the chance of reading it. I kinda wished that I saved the $4 for another read.
It wasn't all that horrible, but I don't know. I just didn't read it. And to be honest, if this was one of the books that I would have been forced to read when I was younger, I probably wouldn't have liked it either.
It wasn't all that horrible, but I don't know. I just didn't read it. And to be honest, if this was one of the books that I would have been forced to read when I was younger, I probably wouldn't have liked it either.
Aug 02, 2011
Andrea
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
children-and-ya-challenge,
2011
This book was great because it reminded me of my own 4th grade teacher. After leaving private school for public school I felt like I had died and gone to heaven! I was lucky enough to have the most amazing teachers who welcomed me with open arms and make me feel like a person. After being lost in the shuffle at a private school this was a life changing experience. I only hope every child has some teachers like this :)
LOVE this book it is AMAZING Loved it so much i read it 3 times!!!!! I would so read it again!! This book is about a class of forth grades that get a new teacher Mr. Jupiter. The kids love him he does all sorts of cool stuff with them cool field trips cool everything! But will he stay to teach them another year with their crazy behavior? Find out in the Fabled Forth Graders of Aesop Elementary School!!
I was reminded time and again of Sideways Stories from Wayside School - to the point that I wondered whether the author looked to Louis Sachar for inspiration. Sideways Stories is much more creative and imaginative, however, with much more original humor. This book no doubt has an audience - the kids who enjoy the My Weird School and My Weird School Daze series will easily graduate to this book and its sequel, The Fabled Fifth Graders of Aesop Elementary School - but for me, it took on too much...more
To the principal of Aesop Elementary, Mr. Jupiter seems heaven-sent. He agrees to take on the worst class of fourth graders, and seems completely unruffled by their pranks and comments. How he reins them in and teaches them valuable life lessons will keep young readers entertained until the very end. The short chapters make it a good choice for reluctant readers, too.
The fourth graders at Aesop Elementary School are notoriously misbehaved, until a new teacher, Mr. Jupiter, begins to teach them in unusual ways. Episodic chapters mirror Aesop's Fables with goofy results. A good read for kids who can't get enough of the silliness of the Wayside School Series (Louis Sachar) or the clever puns of the Regarding of... series (Kate Klise).
This had potential to be a great book- but fell a little short for me. I teach fables and proverbs in third grade and thought that maybe different sections of this book may be fun to read to my class.
Some of it caused me to chuckle- but that's because I felt like there were more adult references then for children.
It was okay-- but a little disappointed.
Some of it caused me to chuckle- but that's because I felt like there were more adult references then for children.
It was okay-- but a little disappointed.
Loved this book! Read it to my fourth graders while doing a unit on fables. They loved it. Found a reader's theatre play based on The Boy Who Cried Lunch Monitor and we performed it for some adults in the school. It was really well done. One of the boys actually played the lunch lady and he was fantastic!
Highly recommended!
Highly recommended!
I tink this book is so cool and funny,i wish that the school be like that.I will never miss a day this book is realistic fiction.but they ore to dont and they ore in fourth grade.I like the part when thy ore acting a play in the scool.This book is cool i will recomend this book to the people that like to laf.
Take Calvin Tallywong. He wants to o back to kindergarten,but...he should be careful what he wishes for! When Calvin actually gets the chance he is forced to do the squirrel dance and wear a yellow school bus name tag.How will he ever escape? This book may be below your normal rade level of reading but it is really a good book.
I think its a fantastic realistic fiction book.It was shoking when mr.Jupiter kissed the librarion on the check so thats what so that is I want to remember.I want to recommend this book to 4th and 5th graders.I have schema with this book because ihad pranke a person before.I wonder why did the kids prank Mr.Jupiter?
If you're not a fan of puns, punny names, and eye-roll-inducing humor, you probably won't like this book. But I think my students would love it, especially when they're in their fable-obsessed phase. Other reviewers' comparisons to Wayside School is Falling Down are accurate, but I find this one much less annoying than the Wayside series.
The Fabled Fourth Graders of Aesop Elementary School is very much in the spirit of Louis Sachar's Wayside stories. The book consists of silly retellins of Aesop's fables. While the book is cute and fun, the very best part of the whole book is "critic's reviews" on the back cover.
Very cute story about the worst group of fourth graders who have a life-changing year thanks to Mr. Jupiter. Each chapter takes a look at each child in the class and the moral of his/her experience. This would be a wonderful read aloud or nightly shared with with your child.
Cute loosely connected stories about a fourth grade class and their new teacher, Mr. Jupiter. Each kid has a flaw, such as Victoria Sovaine (who is very vain) and Hamm Sammitch (who loves to eat) and each chapter/story has a moral, inspired by Aesop.
entertaining enough. a bit tiresome though. and not stellar.
some funny names and almost-bad words that delight a 4th grade audience, even one that considers itself sophisticated.
good to know for readers looking for something light/funny/fast.
some funny names and almost-bad words that delight a 4th grade audience, even one that considers itself sophisticated.
good to know for readers looking for something light/funny/fast.
I think my fourth graders will like this book. The morals at the end of each chapter are a bit hokey, but I think it will reinforce the understanding of fables with my students. The characters are quirky and I think that kids will like the book.
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
I have always been a storyteller. Even before I could write my name, I could tell a good tale. And I told them all the time. As a preschooler, I told my neighbors all about my three-legged cat named Spot. In kindergarten, I told my classmates about the ghost that lived in my attic. And in first grade I told my teacher, Miss Harbart, all about my family's trip to Paris, France.
I told such a good st...more
More about Candace Fleming...
I told such a good st...more
Share This Book
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
