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Danny's Doodles #1
The Jelly Bean Experiment
Danny Cohen's new friend is 100% weird.
New to Danny's fourth grade class, Calvin Waffle has a knack for following his classmates around to collect data for his science experiments. He carries jelly beans everywhere, and claims his father is a spy. Danny isn't quite sure just what to make of this quirky newcomer until Calvin reluctantly agrees to help the baseball team. His ability to correctly predict each pitch before it's thrown leads his team to victory and makes him a hero to his new friends.
David Adler, author of the popular Cam Jansen mystery series, creates another memorable character for his readers to befriend. Sure to be a publishing event.
New to Danny's fourth grade class, Calvin Waffle has a knack for following his classmates around to collect data for his science experiments. He carries jelly beans everywhere, and claims his father is a spy. Danny isn't quite sure just what to make of this quirky newcomer until Calvin reluctantly agrees to help the baseball team. His ability to correctly predict each pitch before it's thrown leads his team to victory and makes him a hero to his new friends.
David Adler, author of the popular Cam Jansen mystery series, creates another memorable character for his readers to befriend. Sure to be a publishing event.
112 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
38 people are currently reading
220 people want to read
About the author
David A. Adler
400 books204 followersDavid Abraham Adler is an American children's author. He was born in New York City, New York in 1947. He graduated from Queens College in 1968 with a bachelor's degree in economics and education. For the next nine years, he worked as a mathematics teacher for the New York City Board of Education, while taking classes towards a master's degree in marketing, a degree he was awarded by New York University in 1971. In that same year, a question from his then-three-year-old nephew inspired Adler to write his first story, A Little at a Time, subsequently published by Random House in 1976. Adler's next project, a series of math books, drew on his experience as a math teacher. In 1977, he created his most famous character, Cam Jansen, originally featured in Cam Jansen and the Mystery of the Stolen Diamonds, which was published that year.
Adler married psychologist Renee Hamada in 1973, and their first child, Michael, was born in 1977. By that time Adler had taken a break from teaching and, while his wife continued her work, he stayed home, took care of Michael, and began a full-time writing career.
Adler's son, Michael S. Adler, is now the co-author of several books with his father, including A Picture Book of Sam Adams, A Picture Book of John Hancock, and A Picture Book of James and Dolly Madison. Another son, Edward, was the inspiration for Adler's Andy Russell series, with the events described in the series loosely based on adventures the Adler family had with Edward's enthusiasm and his pets.
As of November 2008, Adler has three sons and two grandsons. He lives in Woodmere, New York.
(source: Wikipedia)
Adler married psychologist Renee Hamada in 1973, and their first child, Michael, was born in 1977. By that time Adler had taken a break from teaching and, while his wife continued her work, he stayed home, took care of Michael, and began a full-time writing career.
Adler's son, Michael S. Adler, is now the co-author of several books with his father, including A Picture Book of Sam Adams, A Picture Book of John Hancock, and A Picture Book of James and Dolly Madison. Another son, Edward, was the inspiration for Adler's Andy Russell series, with the events described in the series loosely based on adventures the Adler family had with Edward's enthusiasm and his pets.
As of November 2008, Adler has three sons and two grandsons. He lives in Woodmere, New York.
(source: Wikipedia)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
September 2, 2016
This may be my least favorite type of literature: children's chapter books. Often the plot is very poor and the author writes as if children can't understand anything (Adler takes this stance). Parents, siblings, and kids are all naive under Adler's representation. Suddenly everything needs a definition and one thing (eg. seem of wallpaper) turns into another (eg. people aren't as they seem). The mother calls strawberry ice cream "pink ice cream" and chocolate butter cream cake "brown-yellow cake." Her son is the one who has to explain what she means. This, to me, isn't fun writing, it's just kind of dumb.
April 6, 2022
The Jelly Bean Experiment
A cute story about being the new kid in town & school. Trying to make friends through jelly bean experiment, which I like his second idea better! I like the moral, that even if you are a little different, there’s a place for everyone!
A cute story about being the new kid in town & school. Trying to make friends through jelly bean experiment, which I like his second idea better! I like the moral, that even if you are a little different, there’s a place for everyone!
February 21, 2017
A solid story for 3rd & 4th grade readers about friendship and getting along when we're different from each other.
July 3, 2019
This book is the first in a series. It is a good choice for kids in Grades 2-5, especially those new to reading chapter books. The story is about a 4th grade boy, Danny Cohen, and his friend who is new to town, Calvin Waffle. Calvin seems weird at first, but he has some interesting talents that help him make new friends in addition to Danny.
December 19, 2016
Danny, a fourth grader, has become the subject of his classmate, Calvin Waffle's jellybean experiment. One week, Calvin watches how Danny interacts with other people. The next week, Calvin has Danny start carrying around jellybeans to see how this will change these same interactions. Though the jelly beans cause some problems for Danny's mom when she does the laundry, and though Calvin is unquestionably a strange kid, by the time the experiment is over, the boys find that they have become friends.
Pretty much everything I've ever read by David Adler has been part of his Cam Jansen series, so this was quite a change of pace. The story is engaging from the very first line: I am the subject of Calvin Waffle's experiment. Calvin Waffle is a great name, and of course anyone who reads that sentence immediately wants to know what the experiment is and why Danny has been chosen at its subject. Still, it took me a while to settle in to the story and figure out what exactly I'm meant to focus on. The series name, Danny's Doodles, threw me off, because there is no real mention of Danny's art, even though it decorates many of the pages of the story, and the title of this book threw me off a little bit, too, because it makes it seem like the entire book focuses on the experiment. What I eventually figured out is that this book is basically a school story about Danny and Calvin becoming friends, and a sports story about Calvin's contributions to the baseball team. Once I got that straightened out, it was an enjoyable read.
Though this book is not a mystery per se, fans of Adler's mysteries might still find themselves hunting for clues and trying to figure out the truth about Calvin's father, who Danny believes is a spy. There is also quite a bit of suspense surrounding Calvin's science experiment until he finally reveals its purpose. Though Calvin isn't very much like Horrible Harry, I did find myself thinking that the books are similar. Just as Harry's “normal” best friend, Doug, narrates all of the stories about Harry's bad behavior, Danny narrates this story about quirky Calvin, in a way that brings Calvin to life just as strongly as Danny, and teaches us things about Calvin we might not learn in his own first-person point of view.
This is a great chapter book choice for boys, due to its male main characters, sports references, and possible spy dad character, but the science aspect and the overall school story atmosphere could easily draw in girls as well. Like Cam Jansen, I expect the Danny series will be read universally by male and female chapter book fans. Other series to display alongside Danny's Doodles are Justin Case, Zeke Meeks, Daphne's Diary of Daily Disasters, and Emma Jean Lazarus.
Pretty much everything I've ever read by David Adler has been part of his Cam Jansen series, so this was quite a change of pace. The story is engaging from the very first line: I am the subject of Calvin Waffle's experiment. Calvin Waffle is a great name, and of course anyone who reads that sentence immediately wants to know what the experiment is and why Danny has been chosen at its subject. Still, it took me a while to settle in to the story and figure out what exactly I'm meant to focus on. The series name, Danny's Doodles, threw me off, because there is no real mention of Danny's art, even though it decorates many of the pages of the story, and the title of this book threw me off a little bit, too, because it makes it seem like the entire book focuses on the experiment. What I eventually figured out is that this book is basically a school story about Danny and Calvin becoming friends, and a sports story about Calvin's contributions to the baseball team. Once I got that straightened out, it was an enjoyable read.
Though this book is not a mystery per se, fans of Adler's mysteries might still find themselves hunting for clues and trying to figure out the truth about Calvin's father, who Danny believes is a spy. There is also quite a bit of suspense surrounding Calvin's science experiment until he finally reveals its purpose. Though Calvin isn't very much like Horrible Harry, I did find myself thinking that the books are similar. Just as Harry's “normal” best friend, Doug, narrates all of the stories about Harry's bad behavior, Danny narrates this story about quirky Calvin, in a way that brings Calvin to life just as strongly as Danny, and teaches us things about Calvin we might not learn in his own first-person point of view.
This is a great chapter book choice for boys, due to its male main characters, sports references, and possible spy dad character, but the science aspect and the overall school story atmosphere could easily draw in girls as well. Like Cam Jansen, I expect the Danny series will be read universally by male and female chapter book fans. Other series to display alongside Danny's Doodles are Justin Case, Zeke Meeks, Daphne's Diary of Daily Disasters, and Emma Jean Lazarus.
February 19, 2014
Fourth grader, Danny is a good sport who agrees to be the subject of new kid Calvin Waffle's experiment, even though Calvin doesn't explain anything except that Danny has to carry a bunch of jellybeans around that he can't eat. Danny spills them and sends them through the wash at home but spends the week more or less carrying out the experiment unknowingly to humor Calvin. Calvin is quite odd compared to other kids dressing with pants that have one leg shorter than the other or wearing mismatched socks that represent how he feels about things. When Calvin shows Danny that he has a great eye for detail, he helps Danny's team win an important baseball game. This short 100 page book is going to appeal to readers that want humor balanced with some character depth.
The jellybean experiment is about making friends. Calvin is new in school and while he isn't trying to "fit in" per se, he is trying to make friends. His creative and wacky use of jellybeans is funny and inventive. When he tells Danny about his dad being a spy, Danny learns inadvertently from Calvin's mom that their dad abandoned the family and works as a truck driver. It seems that Calvin is in denial over his dad's actions. Calvin does not appear to be covering for his dad when he tells Danny he is a spy, he truly believes his dad is a spy that purposefully tells others he is a truck driver to cover up his covert activities. This isn't resolved in this book. Perhaps in book two the parents will divorce forcing Calvin to face the situation.
Danny's character is not sure about Calvin, but he is interested in him because he's different. Danny seems to be deciding throughout the story whether or not he wants to be Calvin's friend. Calvin likes to poke fun at their crabby teacher and get away with breaking rules that appeals to Danny at times and scares him at other times. Calvin tries a bit too hard to be the class clown using shenanigans as a way to make friends. At first I wasn't sure if Calvin was rebellious, but he pulls back when it matters to peers such as during the report presentation. There is a subtle message about tolerance and accepting others for who they are inside and not going by appearances.
The title of the book is a bit misleading and the illustrations don't add to the text. Danny doodles because he wants to be a cartoonist. I kept waiting for more to happen with this. In Marissa Moss's Max series the two boys come up with a comic strip that has erasers that are aliens that come to earth. Nothing like that happens with the doodles and they are not worked into the plot. While I enjoyed this story and the writing is good with fun wordplays, what stands out the most for me is that it is nice and short for the student who does not love to read.
The jellybean experiment is about making friends. Calvin is new in school and while he isn't trying to "fit in" per se, he is trying to make friends. His creative and wacky use of jellybeans is funny and inventive. When he tells Danny about his dad being a spy, Danny learns inadvertently from Calvin's mom that their dad abandoned the family and works as a truck driver. It seems that Calvin is in denial over his dad's actions. Calvin does not appear to be covering for his dad when he tells Danny he is a spy, he truly believes his dad is a spy that purposefully tells others he is a truck driver to cover up his covert activities. This isn't resolved in this book. Perhaps in book two the parents will divorce forcing Calvin to face the situation.
Danny's character is not sure about Calvin, but he is interested in him because he's different. Danny seems to be deciding throughout the story whether or not he wants to be Calvin's friend. Calvin likes to poke fun at their crabby teacher and get away with breaking rules that appeals to Danny at times and scares him at other times. Calvin tries a bit too hard to be the class clown using shenanigans as a way to make friends. At first I wasn't sure if Calvin was rebellious, but he pulls back when it matters to peers such as during the report presentation. There is a subtle message about tolerance and accepting others for who they are inside and not going by appearances.
The title of the book is a bit misleading and the illustrations don't add to the text. Danny doodles because he wants to be a cartoonist. I kept waiting for more to happen with this. In Marissa Moss's Max series the two boys come up with a comic strip that has erasers that are aliens that come to earth. Nothing like that happens with the doodles and they are not worked into the plot. While I enjoyed this story and the writing is good with fun wordplays, what stands out the most for me is that it is nice and short for the student who does not love to read.
August 3, 2016
A Kind, Gentle, Low-Key Book
David Adler is the author of the Cam Jansen mysteries, which is a very popular series featuring a kid sleuth with a photographic memory. Those books are fine as basic introductory mysteries, but the characters and plots are very thin. The Danny's Doodles books, starting with this one, offer an entirely different experience and, to me, mark a major step up in class, style and substance by the author.
All of the kid characters are fourth grade classmates. The target readership, at least according to the publisher, is grades one through three, which sounds right, but shouldn't discourage older kids from reading the books. Usually, for this audience, we get zany and antic plots and we get bigger than life heroes and heroines who have a knack for messing up and/or creating chaos. I can think of a dozen such characters right off the top of my head. This book delivers more.
Danny is the narrator; Calvin is the "weird" loner; Annie is a slightly bossy classmate with a mild sneaker for Danny; Douglas is a classmate who just ignores Calvin because he's weird. Each of these kids confounds your expectations by being decent, generous, understanding, honest and kind every time there is an opportunity for the usual fictional angst or smartmouth or meanness. They are anti-fictional; they are real-real.
Danny is more patient with Calvin than you expect. Annie and Douglas are more opening to getting to know and like Calvin than you expect. Calvin is smarter, funnier, wiser, sadder and more socially attuned than you expect. Just when you think someone is going to get annoyed, they display understanding. Just when you expect anger you get forgiveness. Just when you expect childish drama you get restraint and perspective.
The action here is small. PLOT SPOILER ALERT. Calvin does an experiment to see if people treat Danny differently when he smells of jelly beans. The kids work as partners on a school report. Calvin helps the baseball team by reading the opposing pitcher's body language. The kids overlook Calvin's oddly touching fiction about where his father is. Everyone is bemused by Calvin's eccentric mother.
The writing is neither drippy nor cute. The dialogue says more than the people speaking realize. Danny's musing are not self-conscious and are almost age appropriate, but again, they tell us more than Danny realizes. There is a lot going on in this slim volume and it's all good. This is quality writing.
Please note that I received a free ecopy of this book in exchange for a candid review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.
David Adler is the author of the Cam Jansen mysteries, which is a very popular series featuring a kid sleuth with a photographic memory. Those books are fine as basic introductory mysteries, but the characters and plots are very thin. The Danny's Doodles books, starting with this one, offer an entirely different experience and, to me, mark a major step up in class, style and substance by the author.
All of the kid characters are fourth grade classmates. The target readership, at least according to the publisher, is grades one through three, which sounds right, but shouldn't discourage older kids from reading the books. Usually, for this audience, we get zany and antic plots and we get bigger than life heroes and heroines who have a knack for messing up and/or creating chaos. I can think of a dozen such characters right off the top of my head. This book delivers more.
Danny is the narrator; Calvin is the "weird" loner; Annie is a slightly bossy classmate with a mild sneaker for Danny; Douglas is a classmate who just ignores Calvin because he's weird. Each of these kids confounds your expectations by being decent, generous, understanding, honest and kind every time there is an opportunity for the usual fictional angst or smartmouth or meanness. They are anti-fictional; they are real-real.
Danny is more patient with Calvin than you expect. Annie and Douglas are more opening to getting to know and like Calvin than you expect. Calvin is smarter, funnier, wiser, sadder and more socially attuned than you expect. Just when you think someone is going to get annoyed, they display understanding. Just when you expect anger you get forgiveness. Just when you expect childish drama you get restraint and perspective.
The action here is small. PLOT SPOILER ALERT. Calvin does an experiment to see if people treat Danny differently when he smells of jelly beans. The kids work as partners on a school report. Calvin helps the baseball team by reading the opposing pitcher's body language. The kids overlook Calvin's oddly touching fiction about where his father is. Everyone is bemused by Calvin's eccentric mother.
The writing is neither drippy nor cute. The dialogue says more than the people speaking realize. Danny's musing are not self-conscious and are almost age appropriate, but again, they tell us more than Danny realizes. There is a lot going on in this slim volume and it's all good. This is quality writing.
Please note that I received a free ecopy of this book in exchange for a candid review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.
September 8, 2014
I am currently searching for a beginning chapter book to read with my oldest (6 years of age). Something like this seemed right to me for several reasons.
1.) It had a male lead character that I hoped would appeal to my son.
2.) It literally had Danny's doodles every other page to keep things interesting for my little man.
3.) It is supposedly geared toward a very young beginner audience. It was categorized as a 1st grade read by the library, though Danny (the main character) is in 4th grade.
My problem with this book is that it gets in the way of itself. It's so busy trying to teach my kid something that it colossally fails at hooking my kid into reading for the pure enjoyment of it all. I feel pretty strongly that books should do that, hook the reader. Bonus to an author who doesn't underestimate their audience and writes prose that intuitively teaches a lesson.
I offer you my gripes by example:
A lesson in why math is important in the real world:
“I need them for my experiment,” Calvin told me. “They’re statistics, the backbone of science.”
"I know what statistics are. They’re the backbone of sports. I know baseball batting averages"
A lesson in science:
“Last week was the control,” he says. “This week is the experiment.”
A vocab lesson:
“You’ll skew the experiment.”
“Skew?”
“Change.”
A history lesson:
"I bet that’s how George Washington Carver’s peanuts felt. Carver did experiments with peanuts. He found lots of ways to use them like making them into gunpowder."
When discussing the consumption of jelly beans with friends, Danny encounters these brilliant responses from his friends - or a lesson in nutrition:
“I want oranges,” Douglas says. “Oranges are loaded with vitamin C.”
“Mom always tells me to eat my greens,” Annie says. “Greens have lots of vitamins.”
I’m sure they’re joking. I wait, but neither of them laughs. “Oranges that grow on trees have vitamin C,” I tell Douglas and Annie. “Green vegetables have vitamins. Orange and green jelly beans just have lots of sugar.”
I read through the book once and tried a chapter with my little guy who was asking almost immediately to read something else. It could be that he is too young yet, but I think I'll let him return to Danny's Doodles on his own volition while I continue on my search for a chapter book to read together.
1.) It had a male lead character that I hoped would appeal to my son.
2.) It literally had Danny's doodles every other page to keep things interesting for my little man.
3.) It is supposedly geared toward a very young beginner audience. It was categorized as a 1st grade read by the library, though Danny (the main character) is in 4th grade.
My problem with this book is that it gets in the way of itself. It's so busy trying to teach my kid something that it colossally fails at hooking my kid into reading for the pure enjoyment of it all. I feel pretty strongly that books should do that, hook the reader. Bonus to an author who doesn't underestimate their audience and writes prose that intuitively teaches a lesson.
I offer you my gripes by example:
A lesson in why math is important in the real world:
“I need them for my experiment,” Calvin told me. “They’re statistics, the backbone of science.”
"I know what statistics are. They’re the backbone of sports. I know baseball batting averages"
A lesson in science:
“Last week was the control,” he says. “This week is the experiment.”
A vocab lesson:
“You’ll skew the experiment.”
“Skew?”
“Change.”
A history lesson:
"I bet that’s how George Washington Carver’s peanuts felt. Carver did experiments with peanuts. He found lots of ways to use them like making them into gunpowder."
When discussing the consumption of jelly beans with friends, Danny encounters these brilliant responses from his friends - or a lesson in nutrition:
“I want oranges,” Douglas says. “Oranges are loaded with vitamin C.”
“Mom always tells me to eat my greens,” Annie says. “Greens have lots of vitamins.”
I’m sure they’re joking. I wait, but neither of them laughs. “Oranges that grow on trees have vitamin C,” I tell Douglas and Annie. “Green vegetables have vitamins. Orange and green jelly beans just have lots of sugar.”
I read through the book once and tried a chapter with my little guy who was asking almost immediately to read something else. It could be that he is too young yet, but I think I'll let him return to Danny's Doodles on his own volition while I continue on my search for a chapter book to read together.
October 7, 2013
The Story-
When Danny Cohen befriends the new kid at school, Calvin Waffle, he has no idea his life is about to change. Soon Calvin is following Danny around, taking notes in a journal and lurking outside Danny's classes. Danny thinks Calvin is weird, but he finds out just how weird when Calvin asks Danny to stuff his pockets with jellybeans for four days so Calvin can record the results of what happens.
Soon Danny is drawn into a strange friendship with Calvin, one that includes experiments and statistics. Together the boys have a blast and learn some fun facts about friendship.
My Thoughts-
This is a great new middle grade book that looks at the cookie ways of childhood and the bonding of true friends. Danny is wonderful. He is willing to go along with Calvin's tests and doesn't complain. His character overlooks the zany things about Calvin and the fact that Calvin's mom is weird too. Plus, there is a secret about Calvin's dad being a spy. Danny doesn't believe him, but he lets it slide, content that Calvin needs to tell the lie. Or is it? I think if there are more books, we might get some fun stuff.
Calvin is an oddball. At first you wonder about him, one of my favorite lines is when Calvin is explaining why he wears different colored socks everyday. "My feet are different. The right one is very serious. It likes solid blue socks. My left foot is often silly and likes colorful stripes." I actually snorted when I read it. So cute. Then we have Calvin's mom. As soon as you meet her you realize where Calvin gets his zaniness. His mom talks and talks and talks. Often about really random stuff. There's something off with her, but I wasn't sure what.
The main thing that I liked are the conclusions. The story leads children to realize that friendship is special. At one point Danny is thinking about Calvin and concludes, "Maybe his dad is a spy. And maybe he's not. Either way, it's OK with me. Friends don't ask questions. We just fill our pockets with jelly beans, help with experiments, walk together, eat lunch together, and listen." The other conclusion comes out at the very end of the story when Calvin shows others just how interesting he can be. Danny learns that being different is okay.
A great story. Teachers and parents- you'll like this one. 5 Stars!
When Danny Cohen befriends the new kid at school, Calvin Waffle, he has no idea his life is about to change. Soon Calvin is following Danny around, taking notes in a journal and lurking outside Danny's classes. Danny thinks Calvin is weird, but he finds out just how weird when Calvin asks Danny to stuff his pockets with jellybeans for four days so Calvin can record the results of what happens.
Soon Danny is drawn into a strange friendship with Calvin, one that includes experiments and statistics. Together the boys have a blast and learn some fun facts about friendship.
My Thoughts-
This is a great new middle grade book that looks at the cookie ways of childhood and the bonding of true friends. Danny is wonderful. He is willing to go along with Calvin's tests and doesn't complain. His character overlooks the zany things about Calvin and the fact that Calvin's mom is weird too. Plus, there is a secret about Calvin's dad being a spy. Danny doesn't believe him, but he lets it slide, content that Calvin needs to tell the lie. Or is it? I think if there are more books, we might get some fun stuff.
Calvin is an oddball. At first you wonder about him, one of my favorite lines is when Calvin is explaining why he wears different colored socks everyday. "My feet are different. The right one is very serious. It likes solid blue socks. My left foot is often silly and likes colorful stripes." I actually snorted when I read it. So cute. Then we have Calvin's mom. As soon as you meet her you realize where Calvin gets his zaniness. His mom talks and talks and talks. Often about really random stuff. There's something off with her, but I wasn't sure what.
The main thing that I liked are the conclusions. The story leads children to realize that friendship is special. At one point Danny is thinking about Calvin and concludes, "Maybe his dad is a spy. And maybe he's not. Either way, it's OK with me. Friends don't ask questions. We just fill our pockets with jelly beans, help with experiments, walk together, eat lunch together, and listen." The other conclusion comes out at the very end of the story when Calvin shows others just how interesting he can be. Danny learns that being different is okay.
A great story. Teachers and parents- you'll like this one. 5 Stars!
October 14, 2013
I could not resist when offered a chance to review David A. Adler's new book.
For those of you who don't recognize his name, he's written a metric ton of books for kids. Most importantly for me, he wrote the Cam Jansen series. The Cam Jansen mysteries were basically one of two series I read when I was learning to read. I can remember checking them out of the library, one by one, figuring the words out and trying to solve the mystery along with Cam of the photographic memory. (I feel like Cam Jansen led me straight to Nancy Drew, which is obviously a terrific reading path to take.)
DANNY'S DOODLES: THE JELLY BEAN EXPERIMENT is the start of a new series, and I suspect another generation of kids will grow up reading books by Adler. THE JELLY BEAN EXPERIMENT is presented as Danny's journal, an informal record of his day-to-day doings. Currently, Danny is being roped into an experiment by Calvin Waffle, his class's strangest kid. I suspect most readers will easily identify with one of the two boys. (There are girl characters too!) The teacher is over-the-top mean, but in a funny way.
I thought THE JELLY BEAN EXPERIMENT was a fun story. Obviously, the two boys are going to end up being friends. But it was nice to see how Danny went along with Calvin's overtures, and then made his own efforts on behalf of Calvin in return. I also liked the experiment that brings the two boys together. It's obviously not great science, but it's the kind of crazy experiment I can see my niece coming up with. And it's nice to see science portrayed as something fun, interesting, and mysterious.
The titular doodles are drawn by Adler, and they add a nice element to the story. There are details from the text, and there are also totally irrelevant scribblings. They aren't overly sophisticated or on point, which adds a nice bit of verisimilitude. At the same time, they aren't so simple as to be unengaging. (And often, they're quite funny.)
I intend to give my copy of THE JELLY BEAN EXPERIMENT to my niece next year, when she's reading on her own. I think she'll enjoy it -- I just hope she won't start stuffing her khakis with jelly beans!
For those of you who don't recognize his name, he's written a metric ton of books for kids. Most importantly for me, he wrote the Cam Jansen series. The Cam Jansen mysteries were basically one of two series I read when I was learning to read. I can remember checking them out of the library, one by one, figuring the words out and trying to solve the mystery along with Cam of the photographic memory. (I feel like Cam Jansen led me straight to Nancy Drew, which is obviously a terrific reading path to take.)
DANNY'S DOODLES: THE JELLY BEAN EXPERIMENT is the start of a new series, and I suspect another generation of kids will grow up reading books by Adler. THE JELLY BEAN EXPERIMENT is presented as Danny's journal, an informal record of his day-to-day doings. Currently, Danny is being roped into an experiment by Calvin Waffle, his class's strangest kid. I suspect most readers will easily identify with one of the two boys. (There are girl characters too!) The teacher is over-the-top mean, but in a funny way.
I thought THE JELLY BEAN EXPERIMENT was a fun story. Obviously, the two boys are going to end up being friends. But it was nice to see how Danny went along with Calvin's overtures, and then made his own efforts on behalf of Calvin in return. I also liked the experiment that brings the two boys together. It's obviously not great science, but it's the kind of crazy experiment I can see my niece coming up with. And it's nice to see science portrayed as something fun, interesting, and mysterious.
The titular doodles are drawn by Adler, and they add a nice element to the story. There are details from the text, and there are also totally irrelevant scribblings. They aren't overly sophisticated or on point, which adds a nice bit of verisimilitude. At the same time, they aren't so simple as to be unengaging. (And often, they're quite funny.)
I intend to give my copy of THE JELLY BEAN EXPERIMENT to my niece next year, when she's reading on her own. I think she'll enjoy it -- I just hope she won't start stuffing her khakis with jelly beans!
February 16, 2017
Not sure what to think of this book, so I rated it right down the middle. Personally, I felt the story was attention deficit, starting topics and never really finishing them, the jelly beans--what was the whole purpose, did they really make people like you better, chewing gum in class and getting away with it, figuring out what the opposing pitcher would throw. They were all subplots and could have been good, but they never really got developed or resolved. I felt like this book just jumped from one topic to the next without doing due justice to it. But in today's society most of us have ADD as we jump from one internet topic to the next we multi-task and get distracted, so maybe this appeals to kids today. I didn't like it, but I'm not a kid anymore, so I gave it the benefit of the doubt and rated it right down the middle.
November 7, 2013
Danny's Doodles: The Jelly Bean Experiment by David A. Adler is the start of a new series from the author most will recognize from the Cam Jansen series. This book introduces fourth grader Danny Cohen and his new friend, who is 100% weird. Calvin Waffle like to follow his classmates around to collect data for science experiments and claims his father is a spy. Danny isn't quite sure just what to make of this quirky newcomer and his eagerness to thwart their strict teacher. But, with a report assigned and friendships forming this year looks to be interesting. Book two of the series, Danny's Doodles: The Donut Dilemma, is currently scheduled for release on September 1 2014.
Danny's Doodles seems to be a fun and entertaining new series about friendship. Danny is a good kid just trying to get through school and do well on his baseball team. He befriends Calvin Waffle, who says that his absent father is a spy and enjoys crafting social science experiments which involving watching people and plenty of jellybeans. When a school project comes up more friends enter the circle, and Calvin's joy in thwarting their teacher's many rules comes into play. I found the characters to be realistic and think that most children will relate to the characters and their story. I liked the ideas of empathy for others and the humor that is present through out the story.
Danny's Doodles: The Jelly Bean Experiment is a great start to another series that I think will be a hit with young readers, much like his Cam Jansen series. I would recommend this book, and the series that is sure to follow to students in around second grade on up through sixth. I look forward to seeing what adventures Danny, Calvin, and the rest face next.
About the Author: David A. Adler, a former math teacher and editor, is the author of more than two hundred books for young readers including the Cam Jansen Mysteries, the entire Picture Book Biography series and Don't Talk To Me About the War. He lives in New York.
Danny's Doodles seems to be a fun and entertaining new series about friendship. Danny is a good kid just trying to get through school and do well on his baseball team. He befriends Calvin Waffle, who says that his absent father is a spy and enjoys crafting social science experiments which involving watching people and plenty of jellybeans. When a school project comes up more friends enter the circle, and Calvin's joy in thwarting their teacher's many rules comes into play. I found the characters to be realistic and think that most children will relate to the characters and their story. I liked the ideas of empathy for others and the humor that is present through out the story.
Danny's Doodles: The Jelly Bean Experiment is a great start to another series that I think will be a hit with young readers, much like his Cam Jansen series. I would recommend this book, and the series that is sure to follow to students in around second grade on up through sixth. I look forward to seeing what adventures Danny, Calvin, and the rest face next.
About the Author: David A. Adler, a former math teacher and editor, is the author of more than two hundred books for young readers including the Cam Jansen Mysteries, the entire Picture Book Biography series and Don't Talk To Me About the War. He lives in New York.
October 17, 2013
David Adler’s Danny’s Doodles: The Jellybean Experiment is a cute, lower middle-grade read about friendship, acceptance, and the power of being weird. David Cohen’s new fourth grade classmate, Calvin Waffle, is different. Very different. Calvin gets Danny to participate in his “jellybean experiment”, by having Danny place jellybeans in all of his pockets and carry them around school all day, while Calvin takes mysterious notes. Calvin also claims that his absent father is a spy, but Danny’s not so sure that’s true. The other kids are reluctant to hang out with Calvin, but his amazing predicting skills make him a huge asset to their baseball team.
Danny’s Doodles: The Jellybean Experiment is a quick read with a great message, silly humor, amusing doodles, and a memorable character. The mysterious “jellybean experiment” is quirky and fun, and I was genuinely tickled by Calvin’s masterful thinking behind his experiment and the surprising results. Adler explores the themes of friendship, acceptance, and celebrating peoples' differences in simple, but heartwarming and age appropriate ways. This is definitely meant for the younger middle-grade crowd, as the sometimes too over-the-top silly humor and simple writing will appeal to readers ages 7-10.
The narrator, Danny Cohen, is a relatable, likable guy and his messy doodles are fun. But, Calvin Waffle is the truly memorable character in this book. Calvin’s uniqueness and weirdness are endearing and oddly charming, but at times, it does stray a bit far into the too over-the-top and strange. Calvin’s mother, while colorful and definitely not boring, was a little too much for me.
MY FINAL THOUGHTS: I enjoyed Danny’s Doodles: The Jellybean Experiment, especially the character of Calvin and the great message at the story’s core. And, while this book was a little too over-the-top and the writing too simple for me at times, I think its intended audience will be amused and entertained by it.
Danny’s Doodles: The Jellybean Experiment is a quick read with a great message, silly humor, amusing doodles, and a memorable character. The mysterious “jellybean experiment” is quirky and fun, and I was genuinely tickled by Calvin’s masterful thinking behind his experiment and the surprising results. Adler explores the themes of friendship, acceptance, and celebrating peoples' differences in simple, but heartwarming and age appropriate ways. This is definitely meant for the younger middle-grade crowd, as the sometimes too over-the-top silly humor and simple writing will appeal to readers ages 7-10.
The narrator, Danny Cohen, is a relatable, likable guy and his messy doodles are fun. But, Calvin Waffle is the truly memorable character in this book. Calvin’s uniqueness and weirdness are endearing and oddly charming, but at times, it does stray a bit far into the too over-the-top and strange. Calvin’s mother, while colorful and definitely not boring, was a little too much for me.
MY FINAL THOUGHTS: I enjoyed Danny’s Doodles: The Jellybean Experiment, especially the character of Calvin and the great message at the story’s core. And, while this book was a little too over-the-top and the writing too simple for me at times, I think its intended audience will be amused and entertained by it.
September 22, 2013
I read this to my kids and they really enjoyed it even though they are younger than the intended age range. Danny is a really nice boy that can't make head nor tails of his new, weird friend who's father may or may not be a spy. Danny goes along with Calvin's strange experiments and is nice to him even when everyone else gives him sideways glances. He also makes an effort on Calvin's behalf by inviting some kids to Calvin's party and by inviting him to the big baseball game. Danny is a good example of kindness and acceptance. He makes an effort to look past Calvin's oddness and see the good in him.
I like this book for several reasons. It is easy to read and comprehend. It deals with a boy that could easily become the target of bullying, but instead shows a wonderful example of how that can be avoided. The moral is a nice side effect of the story. The story focuses on the jelly bean experiment and the friendship between Danny, Calvin, and a couple other kids. The moral of kindness is just a natural byproduct of the story.
The copy that I have is unfinished, so the illustrations are few in number and most aren't the final artwork. But there are enough spot illustrations scattered throughout the book to keep a child interested in the story through to the end.
This book is targeted at kids ages 7-10.
My blog: Books for Kids
I like this book for several reasons. It is easy to read and comprehend. It deals with a boy that could easily become the target of bullying, but instead shows a wonderful example of how that can be avoided. The moral is a nice side effect of the story. The story focuses on the jelly bean experiment and the friendship between Danny, Calvin, and a couple other kids. The moral of kindness is just a natural byproduct of the story.
The copy that I have is unfinished, so the illustrations are few in number and most aren't the final artwork. But there are enough spot illustrations scattered throughout the book to keep a child interested in the story through to the end.
This book is targeted at kids ages 7-10.
My blog: Books for Kids
February 24, 2014
While Danny is the narrator and his name is on the cover, the real star of this book is Danny's new friend Calvin Waffle. New to the school, Calvin is quite (and quietly) odd and takes an odd approach to making new friends, which he is definitely interested in having even though he is not at all concerned with "fitting in." The humorous and earnest story is about Danny learning to see past Calvin's oddities to appreciate the person behind them. While this premise could have been outrageously silly and wildly exaggerated in a different storyteller's hands, Adler has created a very thoughtful, polite, intelligent, everyday, and almost subdued cast of characters for the tale. Young readers should definitely be able to understand and relate to them, even if they aren't immensely entertained. It's a thoughtful book.
I'm afraid I had to deduct a star from my rating because I found the "doodles" promised prominently on the cover as the series title to be innocuous and ineffective. They weren't particularly humorous or effective at communicating information (most required the included captions), never added to the story, were regularly indecipherable, and were wholly unengaging and forgettable.
I'm afraid I had to deduct a star from my rating because I found the "doodles" promised prominently on the cover as the series title to be innocuous and ineffective. They weren't particularly humorous or effective at communicating information (most required the included captions), never added to the story, were regularly indecipherable, and were wholly unengaging and forgettable.
June 13, 2014
I liked the book, but the doodles less… I am not sure they add to the story. But without the doodles it would just be Danny: the Jelly Bean experiment, The Danny Series, which I kind of like. BUT, back to the story of Danny and Calvin. Two different 4th grade boys with two different ways of seeing things creates a good story about individuals being who they are and finding out this is a good thing. Kid relationship building = negotiating differences while figuring out who they are as individuals. Danny and Calvin seem pretty clear about who they are individually, it's the negotiating that create the story, well that and the jelly bean experiment as a vehicle throughout the negotiations. I like the story - the experiment and Calvin's dedication to it (thank you tho those who had appointed out the scientific method being followed), Danny's willingness to participate despite having no clue what the experiment is about (Danny has no real reluctance, outside of not eating the jelly beans). And I liked the ending, the "sometimes different is good" part. I see 3rd graders enjoying this, boys and girls. I would like to see what Danny does in the next book "The Donut Dilemma"… we are in the age of The Donut.
February 4, 2024
Two weeks ago, Daniel Cohen met Calvin Waffle for the first time when Mrs. Cakel introduced Calvin to the class. Now, the boys walk to school every day because they live on the same block. Calvin loves the scientific method- the more data and statistics, the better. His newest experiment involves filling Daniel’s pockets with jelly beans each morning and collecting them each afternoon. Calvin wears blue socks on his serious right foot and colorfully striped socks on his silly left foot. He daydreams in class, tries hard to break Mrs. Cakel’s rules without being caught, and has an uncanny ability to read people’s body language. Also, Calvin claims that his father is a spy whose cover job is driving trucks. Daniel decides that it doesn’t matter if that’s the truth or not. “Friends don’t ask questions. We just fill our pockets with jelly beans, help with experiments, walk together, eat lunch together, and listen.”
©2024 Kathy Maxwell at https://bookskidslike.com
©2024 Kathy Maxwell at https://bookskidslike.com
February 10, 2015
I won this book from http://book4children.blogspot.ca. Thank you so much! I read to my daughter every night and its usually a picture book. This is the first chapter book we shared. We really enjoyed this book. My daughter liked the doodles on each page. The characters are great. There are many opportunities for discussion with you kids in this book about what is proper to bring up in conversations, to being different, to science and math. You can extend certain parts of the book for many great learning opportunities.
The jelly bean experiment idea is evident in the beginning but by the end of the book my daughter questioned "what happen to the jelly bean theme?" She also didn't like the baseball parts because she doesn't know and doesn't like baseball. But she enjoyed the story and characters. At times I felt that the story was all over the place. It could be just me but my daughter also felt the same way. I asked her at the end of the book, did you like this book? She said yes.
The jelly bean experiment idea is evident in the beginning but by the end of the book my daughter questioned "what happen to the jelly bean theme?" She also didn't like the baseball parts because she doesn't know and doesn't like baseball. But she enjoyed the story and characters. At times I felt that the story was all over the place. It could be just me but my daughter also felt the same way. I asked her at the end of the book, did you like this book? She said yes.
January 5, 2014
Danny makes nice with new kid Calvin Waffle and soon finds himself the subject of Calvin’s mysterious experiment. Day one is being followed by a lurking Calvin while he takes notes in his notebook. Day two is having jelly beans stuffed in his pockets by Calvin who won’t tell him anything about the experiment. As the experiment continues Danny finds himself forming a strange friendship with Calvin, and the two have fun together, especially with science and statistics.
A great story of friendship and how friends treat each other. Another good choice for Wimpy Kid fans and those looking for something beyond Greg Heffley's antics.
Recommended for grades 3 and up.
A great story of friendship and how friends treat each other. Another good choice for Wimpy Kid fans and those looking for something beyond Greg Heffley's antics.
Recommended for grades 3 and up.
January 27, 2014
I was excited to read a new series by Adler. However, I was left wanting more. This reads like a book for 1st and 2nd graders, but with characters in the 4th grade using some larger vocabulary and exploring topics younger kids probably aren't interested in. So I guess it would be good for older kids who are struggling to read. The doodle part of the story is kind of cute but easily ignored. If you are looking for a Diary of a Wimpy Kid for younger grades (like I was), this isn't it. That being said, there are some themes that are briefly touched on dealing with friendships and families that are important to understand.
April 7, 2014
I read this book to my 7 year old son. I disliked the writing style of this book. The sentences were all very short and choppy. It almost read like an advanced Dick and Jane book. Also, it did not make a good read aloud book because the dialogue wasn't clear enough about who was talking. Also, there were thoughts intermixed in the dialogue that was defined by nothing more than italics and a lack of quotation marks. So when just listening to the book and not reading it, you could not tell what was a thought and what was actually said. Not my favorite book, and while my son might choose to read them on his own, I won't be picking up an sequels to read to him.
May 6, 2014
2-3rd grade boys with an interest in science, or who are looking like books with illustrations throughout a la wimpy kid will enjoy this book. The story of a new boy who is very odd, but with enough quirkiness to be of interest to Danny, his classmate, and how unlikely friendship are sometimes the best. Danny's written as a bit too insightful and earnest for a boy his age, Calvin's mother too over the top, but the story works. I also had, as other reviewers did, a problem with the choppiness of the writing. Yet, a quick light read, with baseball and a mean teacher- two subjects kids can't seem to tire of reading.
September 23, 2013
This new book from the author of the beloved Cam Jensen series is sure to win over young and reluctant readers with its accessible combination of graphic and textual elements. DANNY'S DOODLES is great for readers making the transition from higher level Easy Reader books to full length novels, with a format and feel similar to the DIARY OF WIMPY KID books. A quirky story about acceptance, individuality, and friendship, Danny and his new friend Calvin Waffle are sure to gain a devoted following of young readers.
May 22, 2015
A very delightful book that young readers are sure to enjoy. This book shows that you can be friends with just about anyone, whether you have something in common or not. Danny is in the fourth grade and loves baseball. Calvin loves experiments. Bring the two together and you get the “Jelly Bean Experiment”. This is the first book that I have read by David A Adler, and I have to say it will not be the last. This book was nothing short of excellent and have read it to my four year old who also loves it. Can’t wait to read the next installment of Danny’s Doodles books!
October 7, 2013
In Danny's Doodles - the Jelly Bean Experiment by David Adler you get to meet Danny Cohen and his friend, Calvin Waffle. Along with his interesting last name, Calvin does some pretty interesting and unusual things. Danny calls him 100% weird and Calvin is okay with that. Calvin is an observer - he notices things that you and I wouldn't because he watches and studies . He might be a little different, but that makes him interesting and fun to be around. While you're reading The Jelly Bean Experiment try to decide what you'd do with Calvin around.
February 13, 2014
Danny's Doodles is a fun, light-hearted book for readers approximately age 7 and up. The story of Danny's new weird friend Calvin is both interesting and goofy in a good way. There's plenty of school antics and clever wordplay, but the drawings were a huge distraction for me. Maybe this is trying a little too hard to be like the Wimpy Kid books. I know part of the selling point is in the doodles in the title, but I didn't think they really looked like the doodles of a kid. Still I'd recommend this to reluctant readers.
October 12, 2014
This is the first book in a new chapter book series for 2-3rd graders: boys and girls. It's written by the Cam Jansen author, David Adler.
I thought it was a shade above standard early chapter books because it has an actual plot and interesting storyline and characters.
One of the best things about it is that it teaches science principles in a way that is not heavy-handed so I could see it being used in the STEM curriculum.
The story nicely sets up the series for further adventures with Danny, Calvin, Douglas, and Annie.
I thought it was a shade above standard early chapter books because it has an actual plot and interesting storyline and characters.
One of the best things about it is that it teaches science principles in a way that is not heavy-handed so I could see it being used in the STEM curriculum.
The story nicely sets up the series for further adventures with Danny, Calvin, Douglas, and Annie.
May 11, 2015
I did not love this book; although I appreciate the “it’s okay to be different” message, I thought the book didn't really do a good job of resolving it. Having Calvin watch the pitcher in order to help the other team win was a bit silly – they only liked him because he helped them win! I do think Danny was a genuine character who liked Calvin but the rest felt very forced. I also think this book tries to bring up some tough issues (mental instability etc.) but almost makes them a joke. Younger children won’t get it and it may further the stereotype or the inability to treat everyone equally.
August 26, 2013
This is an adorable book about friendship, even when your friend is "100% weird". Calvin Waffle is a sort of strange kid who enjoys doing experiments. Danny Cohen likes baseball and hanging out with his friends. Calvin asks Danny to carry around jelly beans in his pocket for a week, but he can't tell him why. Shenanigans ensue. It's a fun book with several doodles that's sure to get reluctant readers flipping the pages.
December 9, 2013
Read-alike to Diary of a Wimpy Kid, with simple sentences and doodles around the edges (though not so much misbehavior). Danny has a very strange new friend (Clavin Waffle) who is conducting an experiment with Danny involving jelly beans, but won't tell him what it is. Recommend to kids who are just graduating from easy readers
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