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Jack Henry #2
Jack's New Power: Stories from a Caribbean Year
From the Newbery Medal–winning author of Dead End in Norvelt , life for Jack Henry in a brand-new place is filled with the same old craziness
Jack Henry has moved to the island of Barbados with his offbeat family and his secret diary. But still he can't escape his penchant for wacky misadventure. Because of a headless chicken, he gets a violent case of blood poisoning. In a pepper-eating contest with his father, he discovers the perils of male bonding. And then he has his heartstrings twanged by an older woman who just happens to be his sister's best friend.
These are just a few of his trials and tribulations in these eight fierce and funny stories, based on the author's own childhood diaries.
This title has Common Core connections.
Jack Henry has moved to the island of Barbados with his offbeat family and his secret diary. But still he can't escape his penchant for wacky misadventure. Because of a headless chicken, he gets a violent case of blood poisoning. In a pepper-eating contest with his father, he discovers the perils of male bonding. And then he has his heartstrings twanged by an older woman who just happens to be his sister's best friend.
These are just a few of his trials and tribulations in these eight fierce and funny stories, based on the author's own childhood diaries.
This title has Common Core connections.
214 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1995
8 people are currently reading
56 people want to read
About the author
Jack Gantos
81 books551 followersJack Gantos is an American author of children's books renowned for his portrayal of fictional Joey Pigza, a boy with ADHD, and many other well known characters such as Rotten Ralph, Jack Henry, Jack Gantos (memoirs) and others. Gantos has won a number of awards, including the Newbery, the Newbery Honor, the Scott O'Dell Award, the Printz Honor, and the Sibert Honor from the American Library Association, and he has been a finalist for the National Book Award.
Gantos was born in Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania to son of construction superintendent John Gantos and banker Elizabeth (Weaver) Gantos. The seeds for Jack Gantos' writing career were planted in sixth grade, when he read his sister's diary and decided he could write better than she could. Born in Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania, and raised in Barbados and South Florida, Mr. Gantos began collecting anecdotes in grade school and later gathered them into stories.
After his senior year in high school (where he lived in a welfare motel) he moved to a Caribbean island (St Croix) and began to train as a builder. He soon realized that construction was not his forté and started saving for college. While in St. Croix he met a drug smuggler and was offered a chance to make 10 000 dollars by sailing to New York with 2,000 pounds of hash. With an English eccentric captain on board they set off to the big city. Once there they hung out at the Chelsea hotel and Gantos carried on dreaming about college. Then, in Jacks own words, "The **** hit the fan" and the F.B.I. burst in on him. He managed to escape and hid out in the very same welfare motel he was living during high school. However, he saw sense and turned himself in. He was sentenced to six years in prison, which he describes in his novel -HOLE IN MY LIFE-. However, after a year and a half in prison he applied to college, was accepted. He was released from prison, entered college, and soon began his writing career.
He received his BFA and his MA both from Emerson College. While in college, Jack began working on picture books with an illustrator friend. In 1976, they published their first book, Rotten Ralph. Mr. Gantos continued writing children's books and began teaching courses in children's book writing. He developed the master's degree program in children's book writing at Emerson College in Boston. In 1995 he resigned his tenured position in order to further his writing career (which turned out to be a great decision).
He married art dealer Anne A. Lower on November 11, 1989. The couple has one child, Mabel, and they live in Boston, Massachusetts.
www.jackgantos.com
Gantos was born in Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania to son of construction superintendent John Gantos and banker Elizabeth (Weaver) Gantos. The seeds for Jack Gantos' writing career were planted in sixth grade, when he read his sister's diary and decided he could write better than she could. Born in Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania, and raised in Barbados and South Florida, Mr. Gantos began collecting anecdotes in grade school and later gathered them into stories.
After his senior year in high school (where he lived in a welfare motel) he moved to a Caribbean island (St Croix) and began to train as a builder. He soon realized that construction was not his forté and started saving for college. While in St. Croix he met a drug smuggler and was offered a chance to make 10 000 dollars by sailing to New York with 2,000 pounds of hash. With an English eccentric captain on board they set off to the big city. Once there they hung out at the Chelsea hotel and Gantos carried on dreaming about college. Then, in Jacks own words, "The **** hit the fan" and the F.B.I. burst in on him. He managed to escape and hid out in the very same welfare motel he was living during high school. However, he saw sense and turned himself in. He was sentenced to six years in prison, which he describes in his novel -HOLE IN MY LIFE-. However, after a year and a half in prison he applied to college, was accepted. He was released from prison, entered college, and soon began his writing career.
He received his BFA and his MA both from Emerson College. While in college, Jack began working on picture books with an illustrator friend. In 1976, they published their first book, Rotten Ralph. Mr. Gantos continued writing children's books and began teaching courses in children's book writing. He developed the master's degree program in children's book writing at Emerson College in Boston. In 1995 he resigned his tenured position in order to further his writing career (which turned out to be a great decision).
He married art dealer Anne A. Lower on November 11, 1989. The couple has one child, Mabel, and they live in Boston, Massachusetts.
www.jackgantos.com
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
December 27, 2017
Relectura de cuando tenía 10 años: este es el libro que todo niño debería leer. Principalmente habla de los cambios en la vida de un niño y como este lo afronta sin perder la alegría e inocencia. Jack, el protagonista, siempre sigue adelante pese a los problemas en el amor, con su familia, amigos o escuela. Es un niño inteligente, bondadoso y muy divertido. La ilusión de ser niño nunca se pierde pese a las cosas duras que contrastan en cada capítulo. El final es algo triste, pero a la vez real y abierto a muchas posibilidades, como es la vida siempre.
January 9, 2015
This book is interesting in many ways. Jack (the main character) describes me and my friends in many ways. He always finds a new way to get in trouble.
February 20, 2014
*Sigh* Why do I even bother with humor books? Somedays I ju- wait...Am I actually reviewing again? Well that's good. And since this site is a requirement that means I can get some attention now? I guess?
Well, while I'm here, this book is an underestimated DOAWK (diary of a wimpy kid). And if you know me, you know what this is going to end up like. One of the unique things about this book is that it's a series, which I don't usually read (take a hint, people who recommend books to me.) So, Let's get down to it.
The Story: Jack Henry's Family loves to move. A lot. This time they're in the Caribbean. Follow Jack's crazy summer in a series of short stories with his sister, brother, cat, dog, and parents. Oh, and a few pointless characters along the way.
The Characters: Usual. An annoying younger brother, a teasing sister that you love/hate. A careful mom, an encouraging dad. Someone who's reading this is probably like "This is my family. No exceptions".
Welcome to the world: "We were not allowed to swim in the ocean far below the Edgewater hotel because we were on the rough side of the island."
The Setting: Forgettable. By that I mean I forgot they lived in a hotel 1/4 of the way through the book (maybe that's my imagination, but you never know). I love the tropical island idea though, kind of makes the book a bit out of the ordinary.
RRAR: Rated T for Animal Abuse, Cursing, and Alcoholism.
The Rating:
Epic
(everything is) Awesome
Meh
Bad
X
Terrible
I hate this book. So much. Jack fails at every turn some way, some how. And the power ONLY APPEARS FOR ABOUT 30 PAGES. Make the title of your book relevant to the entire story next time. *sigh* well. Showing my review history, I haven't had a bad book in a while. So, this is quite possibly the best way to get my reviewing back in track. And as always, I will see you in cyberspace.
Well, while I'm here, this book is an underestimated DOAWK (diary of a wimpy kid). And if you know me, you know what this is going to end up like. One of the unique things about this book is that it's a series, which I don't usually read (take a hint, people who recommend books to me.) So, Let's get down to it.
The Story: Jack Henry's Family loves to move. A lot. This time they're in the Caribbean. Follow Jack's crazy summer in a series of short stories with his sister, brother, cat, dog, and parents. Oh, and a few pointless characters along the way.
The Characters: Usual. An annoying younger brother, a teasing sister that you love/hate. A careful mom, an encouraging dad. Someone who's reading this is probably like "This is my family. No exceptions".
Welcome to the world: "We were not allowed to swim in the ocean far below the Edgewater hotel because we were on the rough side of the island."
The Setting: Forgettable. By that I mean I forgot they lived in a hotel 1/4 of the way through the book (maybe that's my imagination, but you never know). I love the tropical island idea though, kind of makes the book a bit out of the ordinary.
RRAR: Rated T for Animal Abuse, Cursing, and Alcoholism.
The Rating:
Epic
(everything is) Awesome
Meh
Bad
X
Terrible
I hate this book. So much. Jack fails at every turn some way, some how. And the power ONLY APPEARS FOR ABOUT 30 PAGES. Make the title of your book relevant to the entire story next time. *sigh* well. Showing my review history, I haven't had a bad book in a while. So, this is quite possibly the best way to get my reviewing back in track. And as always, I will see you in cyberspace.
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August 13, 20121.I like my book because it had adventure action mystery.on page 20 jack conquered his fear which was being kicked by a horse.Also in page 23 jack mom conquered her fear which was driving.
2.I think my mom would like this book because it has adventure and mystery and my mom also likes books that.my mom was also scared driving on a highway.so she also conquered her fear.
3.I think the most thing that was a challenging in my book was understanding what was happening in the story.First it will talk about one person and then talking about somebody else.
4.I think jack is cool because he had to not be afraid of his fear but now he is not.he is nice to his baby sister and his brother. jack had superpowers and he had superspeed which i really like.
2.I think my mom would like this book because it has adventure and mystery and my mom also likes books that.my mom was also scared driving on a highway.so she also conquered her fear.
3.I think the most thing that was a challenging in my book was understanding what was happening in the story.First it will talk about one person and then talking about somebody else.
4.I think jack is cool because he had to not be afraid of his fear but now he is not.he is nice to his baby sister and his brother. jack had superpowers and he had superspeed which i really like.
July 17, 2011
Jack Gantos has not forgotten what it's like to grow up. This series of short stories reads like a novel of the year Jack Henry and his family live on Barbados, and it is a set of tales I would be afraid to give to a twelve-year-old boy lest he get any brilliant ideas.
May 1, 2011
BARBADOS -
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August 18, 2013Read 1/04
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews