My Weird School Goes to the Museum

My Weird School Early Readers

by Dan Gutman, Jim Paillot (Illustrator)

This fun Level Two I Can Read book, geared toward kids who read on their own but still need a little help, is based on Dan Gutman’s My Weird School series, which has sold more than 12 million books!

A.J. and Andrea are taking a class trip to the museum! Their museum guide has been warned that one of them might misbehave. But who will it be?

Join A.J. and Andrea from Ella Mentry School on this hilarious field trip as they show young readers why they attend the weirdest—and most fun!—school around.

Genres: Humor, Childrens, Picture Books, Fiction, Juvenile, School

32 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 6, 2016

About the author

The author of over 80 books in a little over a decade of writing, Dan Gutman has written on topics from computers to baseball. Beginning his freelance career as a nonfiction author dealing mostly with sports for adults and young readers, Gutman has concentrated on juvenile fiction since 1995. His most popular titles include the time-travel sports book Honus and Me and its sequels, and a clutch of baseball books, including The Green Monster from Left Field. From hopeful and very youthful presidential candidates to stunt men, nothing is off limits in Gutman's fertile imagination. As he noted on his author Web site, since writing his first novel, They Came from Centerfield, in 1994, he has been hooked on fiction. "It was fun to write, kids loved it, and I discovered how incredibly rewarding it is to take a blank page and turn it into a WORLD."

Gutman was born in New York City in 1955, but moved to Newark, New Jersey the following year and spent his youth there.

Reviews

[Rose Rosetree · Rating 4 out of 5]

Given how thrilling any real-life trip to a museum can be, what can AJ and Andrea (from Ella Mentry School) possibly contribute? Alas, they manage to find the grossest common denominator.

Some books in this "Weird School Series" have had a kind of contagious glee that I found endearing. But who is the intended audience for a story with quotes like this one?

It got worse when A.J. saw a statue.

"It's naked!" he said.

"No, it's NUDE," I corrected him.

"What's the difference?" said A.J. "I can still see its butt!"

RATING THIS GROSS LITTLE BOOK?

In honor of the intended readers, I'll give this book FOUR STARS. Since, even by the standards of giggly kids who are thrilled to make gross jokes -- by the time they're old enough to learn how to read -- this title is pretty darned trashy.

Note: Sadly, I couldn't find a listing for an English language hardcover edition. I've settled for this place to rate-and-review.

[Joan · Rating 1 out of 5]

AJ and Andrea are in an advanced class and so those two get to go to the museum, shown around by an elderly tour guide. Andrea just knows the tour guide will love her and is sadly mistaken. Sent back to school in disgrace, Andrea gives her teacher a note blaming her for misbehaving. At the last second, AJ grabs the note and takes the blame. Therefore Andrea is sure that AJ really secretly loves her. Now, if the story had included AJ's point of view, it might have been funnier. I was rather bothered by the insistence that the tour guide was elderly, even if it was likely done to give the guy a reason for mistaking which kid was fooling around. Since I'm beginning to be closer to senior citizen age, I do find this depiction on the unnecessarily negative side. The kids are sent back to the school because of one innocent word: butt. There's no particular point to this story other than to give Andrea evidence that AJ loves her...which is based on fairly flimsy evidence. It is more likely that AJ simply knew it was fair for him to get the blame since he had been the one misbehaving. Useful for reading practice, but not otherwise recommended. There are much better books out there. Addendum: I completely forgot I had ever read this before. Because it is that forgettable. Butt (which is the word that got the kids sent back to school in disgrace) I suppose I should try another one before giving up entirely.

[Gretchen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Weird School books use great humor to attract die-hard readers and reluctant readers alike. This book brings the words and language down to the earlier readers to get them hooked early on the characters and the themes. In this book, A.J. and Andrea are considered "gifted" and sent to the museum on a field trip. While everyone thinks they know what will happen, it's a Weird School book so be prepared for the unknown and enjoy.

[Nam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually really love this one. It was in Andrea's point of view, and everything keeps going wrong. We learn that Andrea really does like AJ and is even getting in 'practice' for when they are married. That's cute. Plus, AJ takes the blame for Andrea. That is the first time I have known him to act with any kind of responsibility.

[Dave · Rating 1 out of 5]

Elementary school girl protagonist's main character arc is that she's hopelessly crushed on her boy classmate and is sure they will get married, especially after he does something nice for her. Why are male authors like this?

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

My grade 2 students love this series and now my son is starting to like it too. He likes this one because it has colorful pictures and is a beginning chapter book. I like it because it has a cute story.

[WriteTheVision · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

[Lara Samuels · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kids will love and laugh out loud.

[Camie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I suppose I have high standards for emerging reader books. Simplistic, not that engaging. Good to get kids reading, but nothing special.

[Kellie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Terrible book. I didn't even want to read most of it to Miles after we started it. Full of stereotypes on multiple levels.

[Miss Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

A school field trip goes horrible wrong for one good student in this elementary and up easy reader. Cute ending.

[Melissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe I don't know the backstory but the female character being all about getting married and her future and her crush. It was a little much for a book meant for children.

[Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like when Andrea sneezed and the armor fell down.

[Karen & Gerard · Rating 5 out of 5]

AJ and Andrea get to go on a field trip to the museum. Although AJ is the one who usually gets into trouble, on this trip Andrea is the one who causes trouble. It’s a cute story. (Karen's review)

[Flylian · Rating 1 out of 5]

not suitable for small kids, as such a small little girl has a boyfriend, they do not go to school, and go to the museum.

[Jillian · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I have not read any of the full-length My Weird School books.

Andrea is a better protagonist than AJ was, even with the little-kid crush she's got going on. (The whole marriage thing is weird, though. It's weird when actual kids do it, and it's weird when book kids do it.)
The story is an old one, full of misunderstandings and mishaps of the kind that endlessly frustrate me to read about, but that's the entire point of those kind of stories. At least the end of this one had a satisfactory (and kind of sweet?) twist to it.

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

#mylife

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

Again, haven't read the chapter book series, so I'm enjoying the humor and the characters quite a bit. Are the chapter books better? Worse? The same?

[Dee Price · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a cute and funny story. This quick read would be great for ELL's and early readers.

[Holly Letson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun little story.