Ready, Set, Snow!

Ready, Freddy! #16

by Abby Klein, John McKinley (Illustrator)

Freddy Thresher's at it again! And this time, there's a snowball fight.... Everybody knows shark expert Freddy Thresher is also a snowshoe whiz--or is he? When Mrs. Wushy announces that the class will be competing in the mini-Winter Olympics, everyone is excited for the competition. But, after betting Max the bully that he will win the Snowshoe Race, Freddy heads straight for snowshoe boot camp, and fast! Will Freddy be able to win gold amid sled pulls and the infamous Snowball Toss?

Genres: Childrens, Chapter Books, Kids, Book Club, Fiction, Friendship

96 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Abby Klein was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. She earned her teaching credentials at Dartmouth College, where she majored in psychology and education. She then went on to earn her master's degree in reading and language development at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Currently she teaches in the same public elementary school she attended as a child in the Los Angeles area. She has been a kindergarten and first-grade teacher there for more than fifteen years and is very involved in the school community, as both a teacher and a parent. Her two young children also attend the school where she teaches. In addition, she is a “teacher-leader” in her district, and over the years, she has presented many staff development workshops both at the district level and at her school site that centered on reading, writing, and literacy. She has been a presenter at national conferences as well.

In her first published series, Ready, Freddy!, Klein brings just the right amount of true-to-life humor and drama. She brings young readers a fresh voice, a great sense of humor, and a unique perspective on the trials and tribulations of first grader Freddy Thresher. Utterly authentic and drawn from real experience in the classroom, Abby Klein knows exactly what first graders are thinking.

She lives in Los Angeles, California, with her husband, two children, and three dogs. She thinks there's nothing better than a good book, and she loves reading aloud to children.

Reviews

[Nita · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first graders are snarky and mean to each other and the teacher speaks to her students in a shaming manner. The older sister is also unkind to her brother. Several times while reading this aloud to my kid I remarked how nearly everyone in the book was behaving like a jerk. But kid demanded I read the last two chapters in a row so I guess the plot builds nicely. And now she wants to get another of the books in the series. Here’s hoping the characters don’t act like such brats in that one.

[Glen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The class is having a winter Olympics, and Freddie brags he can beat the class bully in a snowshoe race. Too bad he's never used snowshoes!

Doesn't quite go the way you might expect, but entertaining for kids.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am looking forward to reading more in this series.

[KaitandMaddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

We really have to do better at reading books in the correct season!

I liked this, overall. There’s a sporty female best friend, a bully who is stood up to and is maybe slightly befriended, and teamwork and perseverance pay off in the end. I didn’t like the one character who’s just reduced to nothing but her fashion sense - it’s notable that though she’s not as terrible as the bully character, she doesn’t get any character building arcs.

The girls were interested and Maddie kept reading random words over my shoulder. She’s a smart cookie.

[mary lash · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is great for this time

[Anitalia Payne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now this book is a reason why me as a grown up people/a parent/a mom/ need to go back to learn positive values from an elementary school students, so I can influence my kids and many people (myself also)how to treat people with kindness and fair.

Good sportsmanship, stand up for those who’s being bullied, hardworking, a strong will, teammates, I can find all of those basic positive values from this book. Freddie decide to take the bet from Max because he was amazed how Jessie stood for him when Max keep calling him names and underestimate himself many times. “Not because you’re a wimpy kid, you can’t win anything”, and Freddie proved it.

Love this book, perfect for any kids and important reminder to the grownups.

[Fox Lake District Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

The kids at Radical Readers all whipped through this book very fast. They all agreed that this would be a great book for a first or second grader. At the book club we discussed what to do when someone is being a bully, how to be a good leader like Jessie was, and about the Olympics. After this we had our own snowball stacking contest with marshmallows (Yum!) and we made an Olympic torch for our craft.

[Carolyn Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super cute starter chapter book for kiddos — mine are first grade and kindergarten. It was quick to read so they didn’t loose interest and I felt it touched on things that they could both relate to — completion, being a good friend and how to push through when things are hard.

Not perfect but cute

[Lanney]

This is stupid

[Nina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Freddy bets Max he will beat him at the snowshoe race. Robbie an Jessie promised to help him. At the first grade Olympics Freddy's class wins.

[Kelly Chester · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super cute book

[Zeike · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book because it was intense. and it was encrgeing and it was thotfull. and a lot of aksitemintand a lot of fun nis. and against each other and a lot of rgwing .

[Kael · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book made me think of snow. And it made me think of dragons, since Freddy's breath looked like dragon smoke. I learned from this book to practice when you need to.

[Meea · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a great book!

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think that this book will show good sportsmanship.

[Seth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Freddy helped max up on the snow shoe race! Freddy's class was doing olympics! Freddy's class won the Olympics!

[Melissa Namba · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute book for kids about a school winter competition. I liked that good sportsmanship was emphasized as well as highlighting that different people have different skills.

[Lucy]

Good example of the golden rule.