Regarding the Bathrooms: A Privy to the Past

Regarding the... #4

by Kate Klise, M. Sarah Klise (Illustrator)

Poor Principal Walter Russ. He's desperate for designer Florence Waters to renovate the school's disgusting basement bathrooms, and the stress is causing him to get, ahem, all clogged up. Luckily, during their stressful summer-school internships, the sixth graders discover the perfect way for everyone to by enjoying an ancient Roman spa and bath buried in the school's basement!
Includes a classroom activity.

Genres: Middle Grade, Fiction, Humor, Childrens, Mystery, Young Adult, Contemporary

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads data base.

Catherine "Kate" Klise is an American author of children's literature. Many of her books are illustrated by her sister, M. Sarah Klise. Their popular Regarding series is presented in a scrapbook style format, with letters, journal entries, and related ephemera telling the story. She is also known for her picture books as well as the bestselling 43 Old Cemetery Road series. Kate Klise's first adult novel, In the Bag, was released in 2012.

Reviews

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Number 4 in this lovely series of books. The kids are in summer school and get summer jobs, 2 criminals break out of jail, Florence is in Bath, the principle is planning to host 300 other principles and the bathrooms downstairs in the school need to be renovated. This one doesn't quite get me as much as some of the other books in the series do but it is incredibly enjoyable none the less. I really liked reading about the jobs the 6th graders get over the summer (and I'm quite jealous that Tad managed to get a job at the newspaper so easily.) This series continues to charm me with every instalment and I can't wait to read the 5th and final book.

[Amita · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love geyser creek!! I love florence!!

ok I'm actually so terrified for regarding the bees. it's the only one I've only read once and the description somewhat frightens me. I reserve the right to declare this the end of canon if the 5th one isn't good.

(yes technically this is a book about divorce but probably not in any way you're thinking)
2023 popsugar reading challenge: A book about divorce

[Omar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wally Russ, the principal of Geyser Creek Middle School, is frozen with fear. He has to host the forthcoming Principals and Administrators convention, but before the big day arrives, he wants the school's disgusting basement bathrooms to be renovated. So he enlists the help of the students who are attending summer school and hires famous decorator Florence Waters to help. Unfortunately, Florence is on vacation in England. During the excavation, the students discover that the school was built on the site of the Geyser Creek Bath and Spas.

I loved this book because all of the pages are postcards, letters, and posters of the whole storie. I have read the first books of Th Regarding,and they are fantastic! Im looking forward on reading the next Regarding book which I think it is Regarding the Bee's.

I recommend this book to kids ages 9 to 13 because older people might not get the book that much but still. I think this book is based on kids in a city trying to improve their school with fountains sinks bathrooms and all thing a school has. So please read this book, it will suprise you.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 4 out of 5]

Klise, Kate Regarding The Bathrooms, 144 pgs. Harcourt. Language - G; Sexual Content - G; Violence - G;

The basement bathrooms in Geyser Creek Middle School need fixing, and fast. The SPA (Society of Principals and Administrators) convention is coming up, and Principal Russ will be hosting it. He contacts Florence Waters to fix them up. Also, Dee Eel and Sally Mander have escaped from jail, making for a crazy summer!

This book was a good one, and I enjoyed the alternative style of writing the author used. The book could be considered educational, because it exposes you to different writing styles. The plot was all right, though this is definitely a book for younger audiences.

EL, MS - ADVISABLE. Student Reviewer: RG
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2008/...

[Jasmine · Rating 5 out of 5]

ALWAYS camp

[Runa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nobody does sequels quite like Kate Klise! While the target age for these books is actually 9-12, it's one of those instances where I think slapping an age range is fully idiotic. I read the first Klise book at the age of 11, and the sequels have been so great that I just never thought to stop. These books are amazing examples of stories that can be treasured at any age. They're written as epistolary novels, entirely in letters, notes, and newspaper articles. The older reader will see foreshadowing throughout the entire novel, but will still never be able to guess the surprise ending until they've read it. And once they've read it, they'll want to read it again, and again, and again. They never get old and were made for rereads. Now, ordinarily, with the reintroduction of Sally Mander and Dee Eel (and don't you just love those names? They're all like that, too!) I would say sloppy writing, too lazy to come up with new characters, but it worked, it really worked. I'd been wondering what had happened to our favourite criminal duo and was glad to see the jail wasn't strong enough to keep their nefarious plots from continuing. I continued to love seeing the kids (and, one could argue, the adults) growing up and learning new things, leading up to a satisfying conclusion in both this book, and, in its sequel, the series as a whole.

Rating: 5/5

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another great addition to the series filled with puns and play-on-word names. And the kids will love that it is all about bathrooms - dirty, smelly bathrooms.
The principal is hosting a huge principal's conference and the bathrooms have to be renovated by that event. But the principal is stressed and is having problems.... problems related to bathrooms.
The students are out getting work experience as interns in the community at the historical society, assistant to the principal, cub reporter for the daily newspaper and two students are involved in investigating the prison escape of two convicts. A great deal of things are going on in Geyser Creek. And the biggest surprise is.....

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

The folks at Geyser Creek are back with a bathroom dilemma. Principal Walter Russ needs the basement bathrooms in the school renovated for the SPA (Society of Principals and Administrators) Conference. Who's he gonna call? Florence Waters, of course. Their correspondence, The Geyser Creek Gazette, and other epistolary bits and bobs form the substance of this "loodacris" story. As with other books by this author/illustrator duo, the puns are abundant and amusing. Here are a couple of my faves: Hugh Dunnit with Interpol, Fisher Cutbait, the barber, and Gladys Ownleepoup, MI. Grand prize goes to Mt. Jawlseedat. Did ja?

[Lauryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the first book, “Regarding the Fountain” when I was in elementary school and loved it. I was genuinely obsessed with this book. I recently found out there was more books so I had to read them. It’s such a good little quick read.

[Ryan Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have you ever wanted high-class potty humor? I think this book is as close as one can get. Like all the books in this series, it’s filled with puns, mysteries, diligent kids and the effervescent and enigmatic Florence Waters. This one hits the target.

[Amanda Northrup · Rating 5 out of 5]

So glad these were recommended to me! Super fun and great use of the epistle format.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A trip through the history of Geyser Creek and bathhouses that manages to avoid crass bathroom humor!

[Donna Snyder · Rating 3 out of 5]

I try as I may I couldn’t finish this book. I see the merits in it for middle to high schoolers. However, I found it tedious to read and not very interesting, but I’m sure that’s just me.

[Kira · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pure silly fun. Puns abound. The character of Flo Waters reminds me of Amelia Bedelia at times. Usually when conversing with Wally Russ.

[Sarah Lancaster · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute and engaging way for young readers!

[Marah Angeles · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was pretty good, I didn’t want to put it down, the only thing was, it wasn’t as action packed or humorous as the rest of the series was.

[Connie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh. Somewhat amusing. Filled with puns. Visually amusing. Just a bit much for me.

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 2 out of 5]

This fourth book in the Regarding series focuses on the renovation of Geyser Creek Middle School’s basement bathrooms in preparation for an upcoming principals’ conference that will be held at the school. The story is set during the summer months, but all of the sixth grade students attend summer school and work volunteer jobs in the community so they remain close to the school and are instrumental in uncovering the secrets associated with their school’s basement.

Of all the books in the Regarding series, this one is probably the most far-fetched. Not only did it strike me as completely implausible that sixth graders would be allowed to work in true adult jobs for summer credit, but the secrets underlying the bathrooms were too much like the revelations about the geyser that came about back in Regarding the Fountain. I also thought the bathroom jokes about principal Wally Russ’s constipation were too low-brow for a series that otherwise focuses on wordplay and puns. I kept feeling like the authors had run out of material and were grasping for ways to keep the story going.

Regarding the Bathrooms might appeal to readers who have enjoyed the first three books in the series, but if I were new to the books, I might lose interest after reading this volume. I’m hoping for a better story in the final book, Regarding the Bees.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Geyser Creek kids are in summer school and serving as interns. Meanwhile, Principal Russ is all stressed out over the upcoming SPA conference and the current state of the school bathrooms. He calls in famous fountain designer Florence Waters to help get the bathrooms cleaned up in time for hundreds of school principals and administrators to descend on Geyser Creek, MO.

Things get really interesting when ancient antiquities start showing up around the middle school. And the kids find out there's a little more than just plain dirt defacing the school bathrooms.

Zany and funny, a great book in letters, articles, ads that I'd highly recommend to boys and girls grades 3-5.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another terrific read for grade school students by the Klise sisters, as the fifth graders at Geyser Creek volunteer for different community jobs as part of their summer school class. Their teacher, Mr. N., fears his new marriage is falling apart, as his wife gets sick whenever she sees him. Two sly criminals have escaped from the local jail. And Florence Waters, friends to all in town, and newly commissioned to renovate the dreary bathrooms in the school basement, is being sought as a sinister international artificats thief! Part of a series.

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of a series of books about a small town middle school class and their efforts to improve their school and save their town from miscreants. The book (like the rest in this series) is in the format of letters, drawings, and newspaper articles, copiously illustrated in black and white. Like the others in this series, it is a hilarious tale of kids stirring up the town in an effort to work with Florence Waters, their class's benefactress, to renovate a part of the school, in this case the basement bathrooms. A quick read, and definitely worth it.

[Sophie Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have forgotten how much I love the way the Klise's write their books. The books are written by Kate, and illustrated by sister Sarah. I read a few of them when I was younger, but I recently saw that there was a new release. The book is definitely easy, and below my level, but it was a fun easy read that made me laugh. I love how the drawings are mixed in with the writing. The book isn't a comic, but it isn't a novel either. A fun easy read that has several unexpected plot turns that keep it interesting.

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think the Klise sisters should stop writing any more books in this series and begin a different one. The first couple were really good, but they've been going downhill since then. The idea of a novel told in newspaper articles, memos, letters, postcards, etc., is unique and fun, but the repetitious format/basic plot structure is getting boring.

[NewFranklin School · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book was OK because when the princable is all worked up over the conferance and needs help "people wont help him" I thought because he was grumpy and mean but the 1st person he asked said she would work with him! Then after some comotion about summer jobs the book got really BORING!!! As I got into the book it got some action and turned out to be an ok book about mysterys and criminals

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another in this lovely series. I always like how the author sneaks in learning surreptitiously - you pick up some facts about geology, Roman and Greek baths, even some words and phrases in Latin... without any stress at all. Reading this reminded me of the powerful stress relief of a nice bath, so I've scheduled some for myself in the very near future.

[Skedatt · Rating 2 out of 5]

Absolutely not what I was expecting, but useful in an entirely different way.

I checked it out thinking that it was a non-fiction and was surprised to find that most definitely is not. The jokes are bathroom humor (laughs up sleeve) but appropriate given the subject matter. I actually found that the book is quite useful for modeling business letters and newspaper articles. Go figure.

[Sierra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is probably my favorite book in the Regarding Series. So, in this book, Walter needs Florence Waters to help renovate the bathrooms. Meanwhile Sam N's. class gets jobs for the summer as they try to uncover some of the truth about Geyser Creek. I like this book a lot, because there are some mysteries to be solved, and I also like how this tale is written in letters.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought that this series might start to feel boring and less fresh by now. Sure, the gimmicky style isn't as unexpected as when I picked up the first 'regarding' installment, but I'm still enjoying these books quite a bit. This one ventures into bathroom humor, but it isn't Captain Underpants, thank goodness.

[Cami · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although not my favorite in this series, it was still worth reading. I loved the references to Bath and the ancient discoveries, I didn't love the bathroom humor the author resorted to. Some of the wit was gone, but enough to keep me happy for a quick read.

[B · Rating 5 out of 5]

A mystery regarding a school's bathrooms involves in particular, the fifth grade, the overworked principal, some shady characters in town, and a flighty correspond who promises to fix those bathrooms. Very amusing and clever, this book is told in letters, newspaper articles, class notes, etc.