No More Pencils, No More Books, No More Teacher's Dirty Looks!

Gilbert and Friends

by Diane deGroat

It's the last day of school! Gilbert is excited about summer vacation, but first there's the class party, and Mrs. Byrd will give out the end-of-the-year awards. But will Gilbert even get one? Patty's the best speller. Philip's the best reader. What is Gilbert best at? Humorous and reassuring, this story by Diane deGroat perfectly captures the bittersweet emotions of the last day of school. As Gilbert's class says good-bye to Mrs. Byrd, she reminds each of them how special they really are. And that she will miss them very, very much!

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, School, Summer

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[Alfy]

It was nice but kinda long for a pre-k child!

[Kelsey Rice]

This book was about a Gilbert and his last day in first grade. On the last day, they all got awards and recited poems for their parents. Gilbert got the award of good friend. Gilbert and his classmates were very sad to be leaving their teacher but were very excited to be on summer break. I thought this book was so cute! I loved the illustrations! This book would be so fun to read to your class on their last day of first grade. I think you could use this in the classroom to talk about going to second grade and the ending of the school year and beginning of summer. Also could be used to talk about poems and have your students write their own.

[Sydney Hanson]

It was the last day of school for Gilbert and his class read their poems aloud and got awards from their teacher. Gilbert was worried because he didn't know what he was good at, but other kids knew what they were good at. I think this is the perfect book to read during the last week of school because it shows all of the kids different emotions about summer starting. I think it would be super fun to have the kids write their own poems and share them on the last day of school. Overall, super fun and cute book.

[Shelbie]

I like this one and think it is a good book to help kids transition from school to summer vacation. It helps them deal with the complex emotions of moving on and saying goodbye. The plot emphasizes the importance of celebrating your achievements, celebrating others' achievements, and leaving people with positive memories of you in a hopeful, realistic, and charming way. I personally think there's a strong message about first impressions vs final impressions and learning how to accept change. It does lose a star however for being too wordy. The kids lost the message.

[Crystal Gill-Meighan]

This is a great book to read toward the end of the school year. I love how it perfectly captures the different feelings kids may go through on the last day of school. It also helps them with getting ready for the last day of school and the things they can help with around the classroom leading up to it. This book captured worry, fear, sadness, and happiness. This is great to help kids understand different emotions they may feel.

[Nichole Walter]

Children's lit non fiction 1-3

This is a funny story about a porcupine who talks and is writing a poem in class. He wants his teacher to always remember him. The story is about wanting to be the best for his teacher, as well as Gilbert making himself proud. In the end he wins and realizes he will miss his teacher now more than ever. This was a great reminder of how much our students think of us and how we matter to them.

[Beatrice Fox]

A good bookend to the Brand New Pencils book where the character is starting a new grade. This one concludes the schoolyear. Again very nice vignette about a schoolyear coming to a close and how big of an occasion that can be from that perspective. The charming art really sells this series and this episode doesn't use too preachy of wording like some others.

[Roshell]

All Grades (k-4)
End of the Year Activities
Children's Literature

I really like this book because of the background knowledge it brings when relating to the last day of school, end-of-the-year activities, rewards, and memories about the school year. This can also lead to other activities for the end of the year celebration.

[Azin]

روزِ آخرِ مدرسه،
جشن،
بچه هایِ هم زمان خوشحال از فرارسیدن تابستون و ناراحت از جدا شدن از معلم دوست داشتنیشون..


(شخصیتهای کتاب حیوون بودن و معلمشون خانم بیرد، پنگوئن بود :)))))
دوستش داشتم!
هم به تاثیر معلم خوب و هم لزوم کمک کردن بچه ها به همدیگه اشاره کرده بود..
منو یاد معلم کلاس اول خودم انداخت که خیلی دوستش داشتم و دارم.🤍

[Lynda]

It’s Gilbert’s last day of 1st grade and he and his classmates are a mix of emotions while presenting poems for their families, receiving awards and saying goodbye to their teacher.

[Pamela Powell]

Sweet story of Gilbert's last day of first grade. Will he get an end-of-the-year award from Mrs. Bird?

[Mellanie C]

This was cute.

[Emma]

I remember crying at my fifth grade clap-out because I didn't want to leave my teachers and my school.

[Kat]

Too long

[Jen]

This has been a great read for our last week of school this week. It's Gilbert's last day of school and his class is having a party where awards are going to be given out. Gilbert can think of a variety of awards that his classmates could be getting, but he's wondering if he'll be the lucky recipient of one of those awards.

[Yapha]

What a perfect end-of-school book! It captures the mixed emotions that children feel on the last day of school just perfectly. I've been reading this series to the third graders throughout the year, and this is just a perfect way to end the year.

My only issue with the book is that the characters seem older than 1st grade, and the third graders were a little disappointed to see them as such.

[Jackie]

As summer vacation is looming, Gilbert is excited to recite his poem for friends and family on this last day. Mrs. Byrd is going to give out awards for the 'best' in class, yet Gilbert is worried that he really isn't the best at anything. He is surprised when his award is presented and it turns out to be the best-ever!

[Courtney Leive]

I really like how this book can teach kids, that even though they might not know what they are good at, someone around them knows what they are good at. It might be something small or something big. Whatever it is, someone will always help you and remind you what you are good at. This is a cute book to also teach about friendship and what kids might go through on the last day of school.

[Michelle Carter]

It's the last day of school and it's awards day. Gilbert is so afraid he won't get an award. But he gets one of the best awards ever. The students are all afraid that their teacher will be sad without them over the summer, but no worries, she is going to be just fine.

[Michelle]

A great book to read to children the last week of school.

[Cana]

Mommy says: Not nearly as meanspirited as the title implies.

Grammy, thank you for reading this to the kids.

[Allisa Zamarripa-Garza]

Great end of year book! Gilbert and his friends are so much fun!

[Jenni]

The main character is in first grade. It's the last day of school and the children read their poems and receive awards.

[Heather Jo]

megan summer reading 2016, children's book, picture book, series, gilbert, end of school, first grade, second grade,