How Not to Start Third Grade

by Catherine Hapka, Ellen Titlebaum, Debbie Palen (Illustrator)

Nothing can ruin a new school year...except maybe a pesky little brother. This Step 4 reader is the perfect back-to-school story for newly independent readers!

Will should be excited to start third grade. But his little brother, Steve, is starting kindergarten. The same laugh-out-loud writing and hilarious illustrations that brought us How Not to Babysit Your Brother now portray the tribulations and embarrassments of starting school with a very troublesome little brother. School will never be the same!

Step 4 Readers use challenging vocabulary and short paragraphs to tell exciting stories. For newly independent readers who read simple sentences with confidence.

Genres: Childrens, Chapter Books

48 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

Catherine (Cathy) Hapka has written more than one hundred books for children and adults, as a ghostwriter for series as well as original titles, including the Romantic Comedies Something Borrowed, The Twelve Date of Christmas, and Love on Cue. She lives in Pennsylvania.

Reviews

[Sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought that the book was funny! I thought Steve was a troublemaker. I liked it when the kindergarten classes where banging on the glass. I felt sorry for Will at the end of the book. Overall I liked this book.

[Captain Awesome · Rating 5 out of 5]

Keeps you going

My son and I were reading this together. He has a hard time liking books and understanding how fun they can be. I appreciate the upward momentum of this book. My son also has a little brother and could relate to the main character. It was a good read and my son kept his attention because it was fun.

[Sheila · Rating 3 out of 5]

Silly story to start the school year. Will should be excited about starting 3rd grade, but his younger (and very active) brother is starting kindergarten! My students will find this read aloud funny-complete with food fight, lost classroom pet mice and a dog that crashes the first day antics!

[Ivy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was very predictable. It was just an older brother worrying about his younger brother wrecking his school year and being proven both right and wrong. It is an early chapter book, a very easy read.

[Rosa Cline · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cute fun book; of an older sibling having to deal with his little brother starting Kindergarten at his school. He thinks he's spoiled and always gets his way. But in the end he decides that he's not so bad after all.... but not until brother makes a ruckus at school.

[Kylie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fun book to read the night before school!

My daughter starts 3rd grade tomorrow and this was such a fun book to read before bed tonight! She enjoyed it and the story was great.

[Aryan Lal · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s a book about two brothers who are starting their school together. It talks about all the mischiefs the younger brother gets up to and how the older brother is very annoyed by his acts.
However, what does the school think? Read to find out!

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was ok

"It was OK" said my third grade son. He liked the food fight bot not the idea of a little brother going to school.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read aloud for the start of third grade.

[Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

Adult rating: 1 star
5yo rating: 4 stars

[Bree Sotirovich · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a level 4 step reading book. It has a lot of text and full story. It is perfect for those who might be doing some AR testing but long for a read aloud to children during a storytime.

[Reem ☘️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely

[Hali Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

perfect for my third grader!

My boys are exactly this age of both Will and Steve so my third grader was pleased to have something in common with the book!

[Cassie Cappelli · Rating 3 out of 5]

I rented this book for my son who started 3rd grade this year. The book really isn’t about starting third grade specifically. It’s more about starting a new school year and having a little sibling also starting kindergarten at that school. I didn’t find it very realistic though (mice running through the cafeteria, a dog breaking into the school, and then a food fight). It is a funny book, but it’s not necessarily a super strong “first day of school” book.

[Joey Gremillion · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding "Step-Into-Reading" book for reluctant boy readers. I love the illustrations!

[Autumn · Rating 5 out of 5]

http://kachildrensbookreviews.blogspo...

We picked this book up from our local library.
K and I both found this book to be so funny especially since K's little sister will be starting Pre-K and he is going into fourth. Will's little brother Steve is going to school and that means both will be in the same school. Will is not looking forward to it especially when his little brother does things that are crazy (like letting the mice out), among other things. This is a step four into reading so there are more words on the pages, though that shouldn't deter kids from reading.
I think the humor that is within this story was great and the pictures were awesome. K hopes his sister doesn't get any ideas from Steve and embarrass him in schoo

[Sheri · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an easy reader for paragraph reading for children to read themselves by Random House. I was looking for some books for the start of third grade to read with or to my students but this is more of a read to themselves book. Starts out with a problem and has the magic of three events or problems to overcome but the solution is not brought about by the main character. Does help me see how to set up a children's book from start to finish. Print is large and every other page amount of pictures. More of a bridge book from picture book to easy reader.

[Bianca Altamirano · Rating 2 out of 5]

i read this first in second grade, and it was pretty amusing then. Over the years, it gets a bit more boring, but that's probably because it's meant for younger kids. Just in case you didn't get it, i recommend this beginner's chapter book for the younger age group.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about a brother who has his younger brother start school and the embarrassment the little brother causes the big brother. This is a good book to read to second or third graders because in my placement almost of them have siblings so they could relate to.

[Meghan Drummond · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny

We liked this book because of the dog Buster and how he started the food fight. We recommend this book to kids who have little brothers or sisters and starting third grade. We also recommend this book for any principals. It will make them laugh.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a cute book! My daughter was bummed when it was over

[Brett · Rating 5 out of 5]

My 5 year old reader gave this book a 98% and would like more in the series is there was one.

[Leyla · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an adventure!

[Frank Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great way for a third grade class to start off the school year. It was very funny. Nice illustrations too.

[Pinky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Will has a rough first day of Third Grade thanks to Steve his little brother.

[Valerie Robinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

My third graders loved this book! It had them laughing all the way though.