Messy Bessey's School Desk

Rookie Readers

by Patricia C. McKissack, Fredrick L. McKissack

A fun and engaging way for young children to figure out concepts and solving problems on his or her own. Rookie Readers (Ages 5-7) have provided entertaining, high-quality introductions to reading for more than a generation. Each title features full-color, often hilarious illustrations and engaging stories that always involve a young child figuring out concepts or solving problems on his or her own. When Messy Bessey starts to clean up her desk at school, she inspires the rest of the class to clean up the entire room.

32 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1998

About the author

Patricia C. McKissack was the Newbery Honor, Coretta Scott King Award-winning author of The Dark-Thirty and Porch Lies an ALA Notable Book. She collaborated with Jerry Pinkney on Goin' Someplace Special (Coretta Scott King Award winner) and Mirandy and Brother Wind (Coretta Scott King Award winner and Caldecott Honor Book).

Reviews

[Megumi Shavers · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a picture book for children in the age group of P. This book did not win any awards. This book is about a girl name Bessey who notices that her desk is messy and decides to do something about it. After she cleans her desk, she notices that her classmates's desks are messy as well, so encourages them to clean their desks as well.This book is full of rhymes, encouraging language development, and helps children build on their reading skills. The pictures in the book helps the children to match up with what the words say. A couple themes can be taken from this book and that could be that we should work together when we clean up so everyone can feel like they have been a part of it. Another lesson is that we should all want to be leaders being examples for others. I thought it was creative that the author was creative and rhymed Bessey with Messy. This could be a good book to read for children if they have messy desks in the classroom.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a good choice for children who are beginning to read independently (end of kindergarten/beginning of first grade). The rhyming text will help children sound out subsequent words. There are only about ten words on each page, which will encourage emerging readers.

This title features an African American girl having a universal experience: cleaning up a messy desk. Then she encourages her classmates to do. Her leadership skills are rewarded when she is elected class president. Children's literature needs more characters like Bessey.

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book would be another good just right book to provide to my students.There is very rich and diverse vocabulary that is used in a very rhythmic rhyming scheme. I enjoyed this book because I felt that rhyming was challenging and fun. I also felt like the message that the book was conveying was a good lesson to make aware to children. I feel like this book promoted leadership values.

[Theresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Messy Bessey's School Desk
McKissack, Patricia C.
this book is a short story about taking care of things and how you need to be responsible