Little Critter: Just a Teacher's Pet: A School Story About Friendship and Teamwork for Kids (Ages 4-8)

by Mercer Mayer

Join Mercer Mayer's classic and loveable character, Little Critter®, as he sets out on a new adventure in this brand-new My First I Can Read storybook! Little Critter is not too happy when a new student gets special treatment. But when the teacher's pet shows that she's a team player, Little Critter and his classmates discover that they've made a great new friend. With fun illustrations and simple text, Mercer Mayer's Little Critter stories are perfect for developing readers. I Can Read books are designed to encourage a love of reading. My First I Can Read books are perfect for shared reading with a child.

Genres: Picture Books, Fiction, School, Childrens, Animals

32 pages, Paperback

First published June 23, 2015

About the author

Mercer Mayer is an American children's author and illustrator. He has published over 300 books, using a wide range of illustrative styles. Mayer is best known for his Little Critter and Little Monster series of books.

Reviews

[Ngaio · Rating 1 out of 5]

A level one, beginner reader with a correspondingly simplistic story. A new student wants to do well in school and comes off as bossy so the other kids hate her until she's decent at baseball.

While the character's reactions to her seemingly unusual behaviour feel like the kind of response kids would have, those feelings aren't explored at all. She's portrayed as progressively more annoying until they decide she can be useful for baseball. The sports thing feels unrelated to the issue in question and was kind of an easy-out by the author. They don't examine why she might act the way she does, why they feel annoyed by her, or how their hostility might be compounding the issue.

Look, it's a highly simplistic book so I wasn't expecting the world, but I felt like the messaging was a little off. 1.5 stars

[Danette · Rating 1 out of 5]

I thought it was a little negative on actually doing well in school.
6/8/16 Read with Naomi.
8/28/17 Read with Naomi & Julia.
So they only like the girl because she can hit a ball?

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bunella is the new student at school. The other kids hate how much she helps the teacher, until she eventually plays baseball with them. I guess the author is trying to say not to judge before you know someone, but since I was a teacher's pet at one point (who was not good at sports t'boot), I don't really like the kids' attitude toward Bunella.

We ended up getting rid of this one either way, though--at the time we got it, the scene on the class trip to the museum that included a stuffed bear with a fierce expression and large fangs was too scary for Lily. She burst into tears when she saw it. So, away it went.

[Rosa Cline · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is a new student in Little Critter's class room. No one seems to like her much; as it seems like the teacher likes her the most. She's smarter than every one else. She gets to help the teacher the most. She is always telling every one what to do. BUT when the class need her for a baseball game they find out that she isn't all that bad of a friend.

[Suzanne Lorraine Kunz Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't like how this book has the boy putting down the girl for helping the teacher. So many people despise what they in their heart admire and don't want to put in the effort to be. But I think this is a great book to discuss that concept.

[Efrain]

T

[Miss Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

A preschool and up easy reader about a critter classroom and the new student who does everything the teacher asks and tries to get the other kids to do the same.

[Pinky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bunella is the teacher's pet, but she hits a home-run in baseball for her classmates.

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

The illustrations are better than the story. I didn't like that they only liked the new kid when she helped their team win.

[Flynn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just don't like it.

[Faloni © · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being the teacher’s pet has its perks—until it doesn’t! 🍎👦🏽 Little Critter learns classroom lessons the smarter way. 😆🎓

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

[Charisse Paskell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is super cute! Read this book with my 3 Girls an they loved it too! I’m sure I’ll be reading it a few more times with them!

[Kristine & Cassie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't really like the main focus of this book as a parent

[Manu · Rating 5 out of 5]

just an osm book which can help children's to start their reading habit

[Sela Hagle]

Summary:
A new student joins the school. The class gathers by the door to take a peak at their new classmate. She sits right in the front of the class which is odd to the other students. Bunella becomes a teacher's helper. This makes the other kids think she is a teacher's pet. Just when they thought she would tell them what to do, she joins their baseball game and hits a home run.

Evaluation:
The book is kind of advanced for an "I Can book". This book has big words like "student" which may be difficult for some students. The book also starts to introduce dialog which students may not know about yet. This book has a clear character and setting.

Teaching Idea:
Teachers can use this book for guided reading groups for beginning readers. The teacher can pick sight words from the book and teach a mini lesson on the sight words chosen. The teacher can introduce this book with a picture walk ,then ask questions during reading, and then a word work at the end practicing the sight words they learned from the book.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 1 out of 5]

Mayer, Mercer Just a Teacher's Pet. EARLY READER. HarperCollins, 2015. $16.99. Content: G.

There's a new kid in class. She gives the teacher an apple, willingly sits in the front row, and helps pass out worksheets. The other creatures immediately -- and quite scathingly -- dismiss her as "weird" and a "teacher's pet." But when Bunella turns out to be a talented baseball player, the other kids decide that she might not be so bad after all.

Sure, Bunella's behavior can be a bit bossy, but the loathing the other classmates feel is downright mean and likely to make kids who are helpful feel ashamed. Is that a lesson we want to teach children? That's it's okay to be cool and judgmental, and to look down on nice students? It is also frustrating that Bunella only redeems herself when she turns out to be a good athlete. Her academic skills and kindness earn her the resentment of her peers but, hey, she's a decent baseball player, so maybe she can be forgiven.

EL (K-3) -- NOT RECOMMENDED. Reviewer: Caryn
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2016/...

[Cristy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fans of the Little Critter series will love this next installment. Little Critter learns a valuable lesson about being nice to others, when he witnesses the new girl in class being nice to the teacher. At first he is jealous of all of the attention the new student is getting in class. He soon finds out the being nice can be contagious. I would highly recommend this for any collection owning the others in the series. Mercer Mayer does an excellent job of teaching children valuable life lessons and how the decision we make don’t just impact our lives, but others as well. The text is easy to follow along with and is great for even the littlest learner.

[Anay Rojas · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is about a new student arriving and she helps the teacher with different things the other students see her as the teacher pet. At the end of the story the classmates like her because she the reason they will the baseball game after hitting a home run.

The book is easy to have a children in first grade to read to a parent our teacher.

[Sophie]

I didn't warm up to this one as much as the "Gone Fishin'" story. But I still have Dad read it to me before bed. It's hard for Dad to explain the concept of a teacher's pet to me.

[Heather Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

megan summer reading 2016, children's book, leveled reader, easy reader, i can read, my first shared reading, series, little critter, school, class, new student, first grade, second grade

[K Morlando · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good read!

[Danny · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like this book and reading it to my favorite mom. But I have one mom Thank youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The new student is a little too perfect. And, I'd rather not introduce the term 'teacher's pet.'

[Whole And · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bunella earns her place with the teacher, and eventually with her classmates as well.