The Hero of Third Grade

by Alice DeLaCroix, Cynthia Fisher (Illustrator)

Digest Size Paperback with 72 pages. Written by Alice De La Croix with Illustrations by Cynthia Fisher. 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 First Scholastic Edition September 2004.

Genres: Realistic Fiction

72 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2002

Reviews

[Cheryl A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

referenced in The Plot Chickens... may be one that appeals more to kids than adults...
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Or not; now that I've read it I think that both kids and parents & other educators would like this. Very short, but still good themes and writing. Funny. The bully isn't too bad. Our boy doesn't suffer any negative consequences because he never got carried away in the first place.

I love the pet tree project but I would call it 'best friends with a tree.' It makes the kids go outside, be patient, observe in detail and with regularity, and appreciate nature. Bonus star and recommendation for that!!

[Valerie Cunningham · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really quick read, less than 100 pages with lots of space on the page and some pictures scattered throughout. This book is a cute story about a boy named Randall. His parents just separated, and he and his mom just moved to a new home. He hates his new school and doesn't know that he will ever fit in, since the school year is well on it's way and everyone already seems to have their own friends.

Randall watches a movie with his mom the first week of school and gets the idea to be the Scarlet Pimpernel at school - a hero who does things in secret. He begins writing secret notes to people signed with a red flower stamp. He still has no friends, but he starts to enjoy going to school, constantly looking for things he can do as the Scarlet Pimpernel.

This story includes all the things you might expect from an elementary school story including class bullies, group projects, and homework, as well as others to keep things interesting like pet trees, a monkey, a thief, and a runaway dog.

I really enjoyed the message of this book. When Randall stopped thinking about how terrible his life was and that he wasn't going to ever make friends and started looking for things that he could do to help people, he started enjoying school and it started looking like things were going to be okay.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I personally thought that this was a cute and entertaining book for young readers. My daughter absolutely enjoyed it and didn't put it down until she was finished! I highly recommend it for young readers.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

New boy in class suggests a carnival as a money raising idea.

[Brittany · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about a little boy who must move to a new school because of his parents divorce. He does not make new friends at first, so he decides to make a secret identity by becoming a secret hero. He eventually becomes a real life hero though at the end of the book, and no longer has to have a secret identity, and even has made many friends.

[Julia · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was...well meh.I had to read it though because of summer reading.

[Donald · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute book that I read with MY third grader! Randall is the new kid at school and has all the worries about fitting in and being liked that are common with being the new kid. This book has a little of everything, a carnival, the Scarlet Pimpernel, and a monkey! And it was a bonus reading it on Earth Day as it has a cool tree theme too! Most importantly, my daughter enjoyed it, and I enjoyed reading it with her!