Late for School!

by Stephanie Calmenson, Sachiko Yoshikawa (Illustrator)

Oh no! Mr. Bungles has overslept and he's going to be late for school. Teachers aren't supposed to be late! Poor Mr. Bungles tries rushing off in his car, the train, and even a hot air balloon, but nothing works. The clock is still ticking. What will he try next?

Genres: Picture Books, School, Childrens, Storytime, Back To School, Humor, Transport

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Stephanie Calmenson's many popular titles include concept books, funny school stories, poetry collections, books about dogs and, with Magic School Bus author Joanna Cole, anthologies and beginning reader chapter books.

Stephanie's books have been called "marvelous" (PW), "lyrical" (SLJ), "hilarious" (SLJ), "sweet, funny, and right on the mark" (Booklist).

Before turning to writing, Stephanie was a teacher, a children's book editor, and Editorial Director of Parents Magazine's Read-Aloud Book Club.

Website: my link text

Reviews

[Candace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mr. Bungles, the teacher, wakes up late. He's rushing around trying not to be late to school. He uses different methods of transportation to arrive at school. The clock is ticking away. Will he make it to school on time?

This colorful book teaches that even teachers can be late and break their own rule to never, ever be late to school. Children will have fun guessing Mr. Bungles next method of transportation. The words are large and the text color is vivid. An enchanting book that will capture readers from kindergarten and up.

[La Coccinelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this one up at the library without having read the synopsis... and then spent a little too much time wondering why the kid on the cover had a mustache! (He's actually the teacher.)

This is a rhyming picture book about a teacher who's going to be late for school, breaking his own rule. First his car won't start. Then the train leaves without him. The bus is too full... On and on it goes, and the teacher gets later and later. When he finally does make it to school, he realizes that maybe his own rule ("never, ever, ever be late for school") might need a little tweaking.

There are a couple of things that bothered me about this. First, I wonder how many kids have been punished for breaking that inflexible rule before the teacher realized it was unrealistic. It's nice that he learned his lesson, but I hate to think that anyone got punished for tardiness before he learned it. Sometimes lateness just can't be helped. Second, after missing the train and the bus, the teacher climbs into the back of a random van. That's such a scary thing to be teaching kids that I don't even know where to begin.

The rhymes are okay, and the pictures are bright and funny, full of colour and whimsical characters. But I'm not sure if the story really hit the mark for me. The issues I mentioned above kind of ruined my enjoyment of the story.

I hope the teacher at least offered an apology to all the kids he's previously put in detention for tardiness.

[Ruhama · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mr. Bungle has the rule to never, ever, ever be late for school, which turns out to be a lesson in using positive language to talk about rules, rather than absolutes that are harsh. It also provides a great lesson on everyone making mistakes (and forgiveness, if you want to take it that far). Through a series of bungles, Mr. Bungle tries his hardest to get to school as quickly as he can (and convenient clocks are placed on each page to let us see the passage of time). Readers will enjoy shouting out the rhyming words. Librarians can capitalize on this by using the book a few times in a row and encouraging the rhyming sounds and pointing out the large words that complete the rhyme. The illustrations are colorful and the frantic Mr. Bungle is rather comical, despite some of the modes of transportation being a little unbelievable. There also is enough on each page for playing I Spy.

[Eva-Marie Nevarez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Julia loves books where we can guess what comes next. We both love rhyming books so this book was a lot of fun to read and hear. The illustrations are so fun and actually make you really want to take in the whole page.
The teachers face is absolutely hilarious in most (all?) of the pictures. Julia got a real kick out of that.
The different modes of transportation are a great aspect although one you could find in many different books I'm sure. Great for younger kids and older kids alike.

[Lana Clifton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very fun read aloud in Pre-K through 1st grade classrooms. Ask students to predict what happens when a schoolteacher breaks his own rule by becoming late for school. Although he tries various forms of transportation, he arrives five minutes late to a classroom of students waiting. A good book that shows students that teachers aren't perfect, and can also make mistakes.

[Miriam Garcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great rhyming book! The book is about a teacher that is never ever late and then one day wakes up late for school. The children will also have fun predicting what the next page will say because the pages flow together to finish rhymes.

[Catherine Fevery · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a good book for children to read for two reasons. One because it has some life lessons that they can start learning at an early age and two because it shows that no one is perfect. In the story, Mr. Bungles is just a normal teacher. And teachers are people too and make mistakes. The story tells of Mr. Bungles making a mistake which is that he overslept. Mr. Bungles is now frantically trying to make it to school in time and not be late for his students. The story gives a good life lesson that everyone can make mistakes at times and no one is perfect. It is also a very entertaining read aloud story for younger children and would be great to read aloud in classrooms. I think it would be great to read to children in preschool too because of the very detailed images.

[Dana Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very fun and easy book to read. It is a great book to read to children because of the illustrations and rhyming throughout. It is about a teacher, Mr. Bungles, who has a rule to never be late for school. One morning, Mr. Bungles wakes up late for school and tries everything possible to get to school on time; however, everything keeps going wrong. It is enjoyable to see all of the methods of transportation he takes when trying to get to school. When he finally shows up and he is late, he decides to change his rule for everyone to "Please try your best to be on time for school!" The lesson behind the story is great as it teaches children that even teachers can make mistakes, but as long as you own up to them it is okay.

[Shelby Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had rhyming sentences that consisted of easy vocabulary to read. I enjoyed how the words on the page varied by size, so children could practice reading with expression. This book also provided vibrant expressions to go along with the text.
Topics: school, transportation, rules, being late, breaking/changing rules, morning schedules.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute, dynamic picture book showing the struggle of a teacher to not break his rule: "never, ever, ever be late for school!" Rhythm and rhyme hold up and make this book good for communal/choral reading.

For the Children's Literature class.

PopSugar Reading Challenge 2019: a book that takes place in one day

[Courtney Stout · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. It shows a different perspective for kids, to see that sometimes even teachers are late for school. The rhyming was fun, and the illustrations were colorful and entertaining.

[Stephanie]

1. Awards the book has received:
This book has not received any awards
2. Appropriate grade level(s):
This book is appropriate for children in kindergarten, first, second and third grades.
3. Summary: A teacher, Mr. Bungles forgot to set his alarm clock and he was late to school. Even teachers are late but he tried everything from a bus, to a train to a bike to get to school on time. Mr. Bungles changed his own rule that was, never ever be late for school.
Review: This book rhymes and the rhyming word is on the following page, allowing children to make predictions of what word that rhymes will come next. The funny illustrations are great for maintaining children’s attention while teaching them different forms of transportation. When Mr. Bungles changed his rule at the end because even teachers make mistakes and can be late, teaches children empathy and that sometimes it is okay to make a mistake so it can be learned from and corrected.
4. 2-3 possible in-class uses:
-make a picture diagram of different types of clocks
-introduce how to tell time to children using
-have the children turn and talk about different modes of transportation they have been on and their experiences on them

[J-Lynn Van Pelt · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a simple story about a teacher who is late for school and keeps missing his ride. It is fun because every time he is going to try another form of transportation, the word (train, bus, etc) is on the next page, so kids can guess based on what rhymes with the last line.

The art uses bright primary colors and big, simple brush strokes. In most of the illustrations, Mr. Bungles' large round head takes up most of the frame. A fun book for quick read alouds.

[Beth · Rating 2 out of 5]

A classroom teacher has overslept and his rule is "to never, ever, ever to be late for school!" The story has plenty of rhymes, but they are a little forced and not always well timed. At first the rhyme is right on the same page and then it comes after you turn the page, which probably is meant to provoke a response from listeners to guess the rhyming word.

The actions are funny and the illustrations pretty decent, but the overall choppiness of the book left my a bit unsatisfied.

[Mrs. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful idea that it is the teacher who is going to be late to school! I think doing this as a read aloud be sure to spend a moment on the title page of the book looking at the illustration to see if the children notice the mustache on the person in bed sleeping! Great read aloud as it allows the children to answer the rhyme of the story before turing the page for the answer.

Fun read after a school holiday break.

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful idea that it is the teacher who is going to be late to school! I think doing this as a read aloud be sure to spend a moment on the title page of the book looking at the illustration to see if the children notice the mustache on the person in bed sleeping! Great read aloud as it allows the children to answer the rhyme of the story before turing the page for the answer.

Fun read after a school holiday break.

[Brooke Newberry · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fun book to use with preschoolers and young elementary. Great because you can talk all about rhyming words and have the kids guess what word is coming next. However, some of the rhymes feel very forced and the kids won't understand what they are supposed to be guessing. You have to give them a lot of hints for some of the words. Regardless, good book that introduces the concept of rhyming. Rhyming Dust Bunnies would be a good companion during storytime.

3/20/2012 & 3/22/2012

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The illustrations are bold and funny (somewhat reminiscent of NO, DAVID). Can be used for Things That Go storytimes and back to school books. Because of the rhyme, the vehicle names can be anticipated, so good to practice rhymes. I think kids will enjoy the crazy antics of the teacher, plus the idea of a grown-up having to change his own rule.

[Irina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fun book about a teaching being late for school and the things that he runs into that make him late. It's a great predicting book because you use the rhyming word on one page to guess what will happen to the teacher on the next page. We have all had one of those "teachers can't be late for school days".

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute and colorful story that tells how one teacher tries every means possible to get to school on time. The rhyming narrative is fun and the pause for the rhyming word on the next page gives children a great opportunity to guess what it is. It's a fun book to read aloud.

[Meredith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute, and the kids can guess the next rhyming word when you're reading it aloud. It's for younger kids than my students, though, and I'm being such a stickler for classroom rules that I wouldn't want to read them a book where the teacher changes his!

[Shaley Dunn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book about a teacher that his rule is to never, ever be late for school. But, on this day he is the one late! He is using every way possible to get to school on time, but in the end he runs out of time. Would be great for kindergarten or first grade.

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great read-aloud for PreK-1st at the beginning of school year. I let students predict what form of transportation he would try next. I also talked about how even teachers make mistakes and that's okay as long as you learn from them.

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Um... no. I didn't like this book, and for so many reasons. The rhyming scheme was weird and choppy and tore up what there was a story. I didn't especially like the story, either. Or the final message. Or the illustrations.

[The Library Lady · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny. The frantic, energetic pictures fit the text perfectly. Kids will adore it.

[Tricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

can't wait to read it aloud. rule to be late to school is broken by....the teacher! bold and colorful. allows children to guess next words in the rhyme.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Goofy illustrations. Set up so that the reader (audience) can guess the final word in the couplet... complete the rhyme.

[SARAH · Rating 4 out of 5]

fun illustrations. A teacher late for school who has the rule to never ever ever be late for school...good suspense, look at transportation, and rhyming fun.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a pretty fun book, although maybe not much of a learning story. The rhyming is nice, the variety of modes of transportation is nice and the illustrations are fun and colorful.

[Nicci · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really cute, with a good moral... anyone can be late for school, even the teacher!!