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Revenge of the Green Banana
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Jimmy Murphy’s sixth grade teacher, Sister Angelica Rose, is out to get him. She humiliates him in class and punishes him when he hasn’t done anything wrong. She even forces him to perform onstage with second-graders, wearing a giant green banana costume. A classic underachiever with a talent for trouble, Jimmy wants revenge, and with his friends he plans a prank that will
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Hardcover, 224 pages
Published
January 3rd 2017
by Clarion Books
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Very funny story of the 6th grade year of Jimmy, the class clown, who attends a Catholic private school. He is certain that the nuns have it in for him, and he cannot seem to make them quit picking on him. When he is forced to wear a big green banana costume during a school play, he and his friends concoct the greatest revenge ever. Taking place in the 1950’s, this is a story about the frustrations of growing up, self discovery, of friendship, and a good hearted boy trying to make it in a strict
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Picture it: St Stephen's Catholic School, 1958. Red folder notorious James John Patrick Murphy approaches sixth grade determined to make a fresh start with the nuns and, more importantly, Kathy Guenther, the absolute prettiest girl ever. However, old habits (and prejudices) die hard so it takes only a few minutes for Jim to butt heads with his teacher, Sister Angelica. As the humiliations continue to pile up, Jim and his gang of buddies plot the ultimate revenge to murderlate-embarrass the nun i
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3.5 stars.
I'm a sucker for 1960s settings and the hilarious antics of preteen boys. This was pretty adorable and the Catholic School humor made for inside jokes that adults could appreciate, too. Cute lessons and entertaining. Kids will love it. ...more
I'm a sucker for 1960s settings and the hilarious antics of preteen boys. This was pretty adorable and the Catholic School humor made for inside jokes that adults could appreciate, too. Cute lessons and entertaining. Kids will love it. ...more

It is the 1950s, and sixth-grader Jimmy Murphy is determined to turn over a new leaf. Within a few minutes of his entry into Sister Angelica Rose’s class, his plans are dashed. He’s sure his teacher, who has a red folder detailing his past crimes, is out to get him when he is sent to the second grade to help students prepare for a production of the Green Banana play. After Jimmy reveals a plan of revenge to his friends (to murderlate his teacher at the school production where she will be introdu
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Sixth-grade boys' shenanigans in a Catholic school in the 1960s make for a pretty entertaining read. Hilarious descriptions of events like chicken cutlets covered with worm-like onions somehow landing on a nun's shoe are interspersed with the author's introspections and everyday activities. Revenge is plotted against other nuns who are picking on Jim and his friends--and their revenge will be costly and highly embarrassing, if they can pull it off!
Families and readers who liked The Great Brain b ...more
Families and readers who liked The Great Brain b ...more

Sixth-grade boys' shenanigans in a Catholic school in the 1960s make for a pretty entertaining read. Hilarious descriptions of events like chicken cutlets covered with worm-like onions somehow landing on a nun's shoe are interspersed with the author's introspections and everyday activities. Revenge is plotted against other nuns who are picking on Jim and his friends--and their revenge will be costly and highly embarrassing, if they can pull it off!
Families and readers who liked The Great Brain b ...more
Families and readers who liked The Great Brain b ...more

I made a few middle schoolers read this as my guinea pigs, and they liked it (probably a 3 or 4-star rating). Also, the title is amazing. I didn't like it so much. It was okay, and I liked that the main character was perceived as a troublemaker even though he was always in the wrong place at the wrong time. I was a teacher, and there were a few kids like that. The story just didn't grab me and it lacked a certain sparkle that makes these kinds of stories hilarious and charming.
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Does the setting of a Catholic school (completely foreign to me) count for Reading Without Walls? I'm going to say, Yes. I checked out a particularly funny scene on the in-house expert on Catholic schooling, and he gave it two thumbs up.
No, there's not a lot of character development. But yes, it is funny. No, Sister Angelica is not going on our list of 100 Cool Teachers in Children's Literature, but even she had a moment of redemption. ...more
No, there's not a lot of character development. But yes, it is funny. No, Sister Angelica is not going on our list of 100 Cool Teachers in Children's Literature, but even she had a moment of redemption. ...more

this book "revenge of the green banana." is a great book. just by reading the title it will make you laugh. this book is about a troublemaker that wants a fresh start at 6th grade. he goes to a private religion schools so a lot of teachers know him. he didn't get lucky with his teacher. his teacher was very strict, and also his crush is in his class so he doesn't want to embarrass himself. overall this book was great and if you like then you should read it
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It took me a while to finally read this book, after having it in my possession for about a month. It was light entertainment that I think younger kids would enjoy. A few days after reading I didn't remember much, so it wasn't that memorable to me. I just have a gentle feeling of being entertained. As always, one star for the fact that someone took the time to actually write a book.
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Entertaining semi autobiographic story of Jim Murphy's exploited in Catholic Grade school. Set in the late '50s the story has some funny parts and some parts that could be edited out- sometime dull.
I love the friend Phillip who speaks in Latin and French! Go Phillip!! Good for 5th and up! ...more
I love the friend Phillip who speaks in Latin and French! Go Phillip!! Good for 5th and up! ...more

It was great!! If you haven't read it you should soon!!
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Jimmy is in 6th grade at a Catholic school in the 1950s. He is trying to no longer be the trouble-maker and horrible student he was in previous years, mostly to impress a girl. When a new teacher arrives, he sees no way out from her picking on him, other than revenge. Jimmy is recruited to be the Green Banana in the second grade play. Him and his friends plot their revenge on Sister Angelica Rose.
I never have attended Catholic school, but I was able to pick and choose teachers from my past that ...more
I never have attended Catholic school, but I was able to pick and choose teachers from my past that ...more

This book is apparently an autobiographical account of author Jim Murphy's sixth-grade year at a Catholic elementary school in New Jersey in the 1950's. St. Stephen's Elementary School in Kearny, New Jersey to be exact. The author did not try to disguise the school in the story. In a warning at the beginning of the book, he even implies he's using real names! So, are we suppose to actually believe he had to dress up as a green banana, surrounded by second graders dressed up as yellow bananas, fo
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This book was provided to me as an advance reader copy by the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.
When I first started reading Revenge of the Green Banana, it put me in mind of Frindle by Andrew Clements. However, as much as I love Frindle, I think I love Green Banana more. I ached for Jimmy when he was misunderstood and mistreated by Sister Angelica, and yet I could feel empathy for the nun, whose motivations were not clearly stated. The beauty of this author’s style is that by using ce ...more
When I first started reading Revenge of the Green Banana, it put me in mind of Frindle by Andrew Clements. However, as much as I love Frindle, I think I love Green Banana more. I ached for Jimmy when he was misunderstood and mistreated by Sister Angelica, and yet I could feel empathy for the nun, whose motivations were not clearly stated. The beauty of this author’s style is that by using ce ...more

E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline
In the 1950s, young Jimmy Murphy is a handful, and bedevils the poor nuns at his Catholic school. He rails against all of their rules, and his exuberant nature causes him to get into trouble. After one particularly exuberant outbreak, his teacher, Sister Angelica, decides that he should help the younger children out with a play, and he gets cast as the head banana. In retaliation, Jimmy and his friends plan a booby trap on the newly refurbished school bowli ...more
In the 1950s, young Jimmy Murphy is a handful, and bedevils the poor nuns at his Catholic school. He rails against all of their rules, and his exuberant nature causes him to get into trouble. After one particularly exuberant outbreak, his teacher, Sister Angelica, decides that he should help the younger children out with a play, and he gets cast as the head banana. In retaliation, Jimmy and his friends plan a booby trap on the newly refurbished school bowli ...more

This is a fun book for middle graders and adults. Is based on Jim Murphy's sixth grade in Catholic school. The book is fiction based on school antics. Found it funny and entertaining in his writing. The characters are engaging and remind one of their own school years. Thanks to Goodreads and Mr. Murphy.
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I have enjoyed Jim Murphy's nonfiction texts and was curious about his fiction book. It is perfect! Jim has great voice. His character is likable and human. The plot is perfectly paced. Any Catholic can appreciate the fear of nuns in a classroom and everyone will enjoy Jim's revenge plot.
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Even though this is a young adult book I chose to read it (I'm a grown up) because I am from the author's hometown of Kearny, NJ. And that is where the story takes place, in St. Stephen's Catholic school, where I attended religious classes after my public school day. I tried putting myself in the place of an eleven year old...would I find the story interesting? Meh, not really. The hero of our story enlists the help of his buddies to get back at a mean nun after she embarrasses him in front of t
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When Jim enters sixth grade, he thinks this year will be better than the ones gone before. That was, however, before he noticed that Sister Angelica Rose, his teacher, had a red folder with Jim's name on it. She seemed out to get Jim and with every transgression of his, whether accidental or not, out came the red folder in which she made notes. Jim got angry over her picking on him and decided to take revenge. Enlisting his buddies, they made an intricate plan to "murderlate" her by concocting a
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