What do you think?
Rate this book
Justin Case #1
School, Drool, and Other Daily Disasters
It's the start of the school year, and nothing feels right to Justin. He didn't get the teacher he wanted, he's not in the same class as his best friend, and his little sister, Elizabeth, is starting kindergarten at his school. Elizabeth doesn't seem nervous at all. Justin is very nervous about third grade. And to top it off, he's lost his favorite stuffed animal, but he can't tell anyone, because technically he's too old to still have stuffed animals. Right?
Here is third grade in all its complicated glory—the friendships, the fears, and the advanced math. Acclaimed author Rachel Vail captures third grade with a perfect pitch, and Matthew Cordell's line art is both humorous and touching. As Justin bravely tries to step out of his shell, he will step into readers' hearts.
Justin Case is a 2011 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.
Here is third grade in all its complicated glory—the friendships, the fears, and the advanced math. Acclaimed author Rachel Vail captures third grade with a perfect pitch, and Matthew Cordell's line art is both humorous and touching. As Justin bravely tries to step out of his shell, he will step into readers' hearts.
Justin Case is a 2011 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published April 22, 2010
64 people are currently reading
1284 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Vail
56 books455 followersBirth
I was born on July 25, 1966, in NEW YORK CITY, and grew up in New Rochelle, NY, with my mother, my father, and my younger brother Jon. (And down the street from my future husband, though of course I didn't know that until much later.)
Interests
Some details, I do know-I was very into reading and theater, so I read every book I could get my hands on (especially realistic fiction, either contemporary or historical) and took acting workshops and auditioned for every play in school, camp, or the community. I played Peter Pan, Miss Hannigan in Annie, Benny Southstreet in Guys and Dolls, the Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz, and lots of extremely memorable chorus parts-for instance, I was "girl number two" in Fiddler on the Roof-the one who said "We heard about your sister, Chava". I didn't care -I just wanted to be on stage. Waiting backstage before curtain call, after giving my all in a performance, was the best feeling I knew. In seventh grade I started taking magic lessons, and by eighth grade I was making all my own spending money by performing at kids' birthday parties as a clown named Tallulah. I liked the freedom of wearing all that grease-paint-I could be as wacky and un-cool as I wanted. I tried dance but felt so clumsy. I faked a sprained ankle to get out of the recital. I took voice lessons which made me a little light-headed (and I was afraid of the voice teacher's growling, drooling Doberman) and both saxophone and piano, neither of which I ever practiced. I did well in school but started a lot of my work at the last minute, in a crazy mad dash, so that it was never late but there were usually careless errors or areas I had to fudge. I had this idea that to work hard at something was sort of a negative, an admission that I didn't have natural talent. If I wasn't going to be Mozart and have the music (or dance, or math, or social studies term paper, or whatever) channeled through me from God, then I was just embarrassing myself by all that workmanlike effort. I didn't get over that idea until after college, by the way.
Career Ambitions
I never really planned to be a writer. I planned to be a financial wizard after learning about option-spreading at age 10, then a poet after discovering Shakespeare at 11. After overhearing "the real power is held by the lobbyists" on a class trip to Albany, I planned to become a lobbyist. Secretly, of course I always imagined myself as an actress, but that didn't seem hard or important enough, and also I worried I wasn't naturally gifted enough.
Parents
My parents were always great. I liked to make them proud, and they trusted me and supported my efforts and interests, which was sometimes weirdly tough. There was so little for me to rebel against.
As a Kid
When people ask me what I was as a kid, I always feel like my answer is at best incomplete.What are you like, as a kid? I'm still trying to figure out what I'm like as an adult.
Socially
Well, things went in waves. Sometimes I felt very "in", very aware of and tied in to the whole scene, excited by who liked whom, all the gossip, some of it less than kind. Other times I felt so alone-like there was nobody like me, nobody who liked me, nobody to talk to. And much of the time it was somewhere in between. A best friend when I was lucky, and a few people in each crowd I liked and who liked me. I resisted being classified as a brain or a jock or alternative or popular-too limiting. I would have to shut down too many parts of myself to be just one type.
Adolescence
I went through a very intense stage in middle school (Junior High). I worried about being too ordinary. I also worried about being too weird. I also worried about changing states of matter, my inability to be morally certain, ignorance (my own and world-wide), and making a fool of myself.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/rachel...
I was born on July 25, 1966, in NEW YORK CITY, and grew up in New Rochelle, NY, with my mother, my father, and my younger brother Jon. (And down the street from my future husband, though of course I didn't know that until much later.)
Interests
Some details, I do know-I was very into reading and theater, so I read every book I could get my hands on (especially realistic fiction, either contemporary or historical) and took acting workshops and auditioned for every play in school, camp, or the community. I played Peter Pan, Miss Hannigan in Annie, Benny Southstreet in Guys and Dolls, the Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz, and lots of extremely memorable chorus parts-for instance, I was "girl number two" in Fiddler on the Roof-the one who said "We heard about your sister, Chava". I didn't care -I just wanted to be on stage. Waiting backstage before curtain call, after giving my all in a performance, was the best feeling I knew. In seventh grade I started taking magic lessons, and by eighth grade I was making all my own spending money by performing at kids' birthday parties as a clown named Tallulah. I liked the freedom of wearing all that grease-paint-I could be as wacky and un-cool as I wanted. I tried dance but felt so clumsy. I faked a sprained ankle to get out of the recital. I took voice lessons which made me a little light-headed (and I was afraid of the voice teacher's growling, drooling Doberman) and both saxophone and piano, neither of which I ever practiced. I did well in school but started a lot of my work at the last minute, in a crazy mad dash, so that it was never late but there were usually careless errors or areas I had to fudge. I had this idea that to work hard at something was sort of a negative, an admission that I didn't have natural talent. If I wasn't going to be Mozart and have the music (or dance, or math, or social studies term paper, or whatever) channeled through me from God, then I was just embarrassing myself by all that workmanlike effort. I didn't get over that idea until after college, by the way.
Career Ambitions
I never really planned to be a writer. I planned to be a financial wizard after learning about option-spreading at age 10, then a poet after discovering Shakespeare at 11. After overhearing "the real power is held by the lobbyists" on a class trip to Albany, I planned to become a lobbyist. Secretly, of course I always imagined myself as an actress, but that didn't seem hard or important enough, and also I worried I wasn't naturally gifted enough.
Parents
My parents were always great. I liked to make them proud, and they trusted me and supported my efforts and interests, which was sometimes weirdly tough. There was so little for me to rebel against.
As a Kid
When people ask me what I was as a kid, I always feel like my answer is at best incomplete.What are you like, as a kid? I'm still trying to figure out what I'm like as an adult.
Socially
Well, things went in waves. Sometimes I felt very "in", very aware of and tied in to the whole scene, excited by who liked whom, all the gossip, some of it less than kind. Other times I felt so alone-like there was nobody like me, nobody who liked me, nobody to talk to. And much of the time it was somewhere in between. A best friend when I was lucky, and a few people in each crowd I liked and who liked me. I resisted being classified as a brain or a jock or alternative or popular-too limiting. I would have to shut down too many parts of myself to be just one type.
Adolescence
I went through a very intense stage in middle school (Junior High). I worried about being too ordinary. I also worried about being too weird. I also worried about changing states of matter, my inability to be morally certain, ignorance (my own and world-wide), and making a fool of myself.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/rachel...
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 207 reviews
June 20, 2020
"JANUARY 31, SUNDAY
Gingy and Poopsie came over for dinner.
Mom made me play my violin for them.
They looked like it hurt their teeth.
But afterward Poopsie gave me a dollar. For the concert, he said.
I think it was really for playing only two songs instead of all five."
Oh, how this book made me giggle. Oh, how it made my heart ache for little Justin. And the Valentines he got. Such a wonderful balance between Justin's worrying and wry observations. His stuffties have a big election controversy and compete for the right to sleep on the Pillow of Honor. He has a little sister in Kindergarten named Elizabeth and his family owns a candy store. Reading this book for Justin's eventful 3rd grade year is a memorable experience. Rachel Vail takes us into his little heart and mind and I will always remember this book when I have the honor of spending time with boys in those early elementary grades. And how about this: the book ends on June 19 and that is the same day I finished. Perfect for fans of Sara Pennypacker, Charise Mericle Harper, and Kevin Henkes.
Gingy and Poopsie came over for dinner.
Mom made me play my violin for them.
They looked like it hurt their teeth.
But afterward Poopsie gave me a dollar. For the concert, he said.
I think it was really for playing only two songs instead of all five."
Oh, how this book made me giggle. Oh, how it made my heart ache for little Justin. And the Valentines he got. Such a wonderful balance between Justin's worrying and wry observations. His stuffties have a big election controversy and compete for the right to sleep on the Pillow of Honor. He has a little sister in Kindergarten named Elizabeth and his family owns a candy store. Reading this book for Justin's eventful 3rd grade year is a memorable experience. Rachel Vail takes us into his little heart and mind and I will always remember this book when I have the honor of spending time with boys in those early elementary grades. And how about this: the book ends on June 19 and that is the same day I finished. Perfect for fans of Sara Pennypacker, Charise Mericle Harper, and Kevin Henkes.
January 17, 2013
I’m a big fan of Justin Case. I’m guessing the people who love these books best and long for more are the ones who know someone like Justin. Someone for whom life does not come easy, for whom soccer is exhausting on multiple levels, authority figures are objects of frightening power, parents are well-meaning but often don’t get it (Dad, let the kid drop soccer already!), and friendships are more complex than the hardest math problems. If you know someone like Justin, you’ll clutch this book close to your heart. But that’s me talking, an adult, getting all nostalgic and wanting to hug every Justin Case on this planet (only if it didn’t alarm said kids). Let me add that there is real child value here. Despite some comparisons on the Goodreads reviews, the style is not of the Wimpy Kid variety, where the humor is relies on characters fulfilling their roles as types (like the older brother with forbidden magazines and music, which Greg finds, etc.). The humor in JUSTIN CASE lies in the overly analyzed way in which Justin observes his world, often misinterpreting it or blowing things out of proportion. Kids will laugh at Justin’s worried ways…but there is some self-recognition too.
Justin is a planner. He likes a predictable schedule. He likes to know life in advance. Justin learns that he can’t always have the life he planned for. None of us can. You can’t choose your teacher, your dog, or sometimes even your friends. They choose you, and they make you grow. He’d have been fine having only Daisy and Noah as his friends forever, but third grade forced him into a wider circle, and he finds some common ground with kids he would not have touched with a ten foot pole. Once his ideal of friendship is put aside, he can made friends, just like once his ideal of dogs is put aside, he can start caring about Qwerty. Once he sees Qwerty’s need and his fear, or say Gianni’s, Justin can set aside his own fears in his desire to be gentle to those who open up to him.
If I could sum Justin in one word, I don’t think it would be “worried.” It would be vulnerable. “Worried” is too dismissive (as in, “stop worrying”). “Vulnerable” is pure and earnest and full of heart. It comes from the Latin word vulnus, meaning wound. Justin carries wounds with him. His quest is to find healing.
And the magic of these books is that Justin begins to see vulnerability in others. For example, he lives in mortal fear of Xavier Schwartz and Gianni Schicci (notice how the surnames usually are included as a distancing, objectifying technique, as if these action figures are still fresh from the box, whereas his former best friend Daisy remains just Daisy, sweet and lovely, yet not motivated to remain close to him). Unlike Daisy, Xavier and Gianni are rough, rowdy kids. But during the novel, Justin sees a bit deeper into them. Gianni loves stuffed animals as much as Justin does. Xavier calls Justin his friend. Those moments work like scaffolding to hold up Justin and connect him to a world that may have vulnerability too.
The family and social demands on Justin are complex, and this would be a terrific book to read aloud in the classroom or at home, to talk about Justin’s perceptions and the reality of the situations that challenge him so much. It’s a good book to talk through because it’s a book with something to say.
Justin is a planner. He likes a predictable schedule. He likes to know life in advance. Justin learns that he can’t always have the life he planned for. None of us can. You can’t choose your teacher, your dog, or sometimes even your friends. They choose you, and they make you grow. He’d have been fine having only Daisy and Noah as his friends forever, but third grade forced him into a wider circle, and he finds some common ground with kids he would not have touched with a ten foot pole. Once his ideal of friendship is put aside, he can made friends, just like once his ideal of dogs is put aside, he can start caring about Qwerty. Once he sees Qwerty’s need and his fear, or say Gianni’s, Justin can set aside his own fears in his desire to be gentle to those who open up to him.
If I could sum Justin in one word, I don’t think it would be “worried.” It would be vulnerable. “Worried” is too dismissive (as in, “stop worrying”). “Vulnerable” is pure and earnest and full of heart. It comes from the Latin word vulnus, meaning wound. Justin carries wounds with him. His quest is to find healing.
And the magic of these books is that Justin begins to see vulnerability in others. For example, he lives in mortal fear of Xavier Schwartz and Gianni Schicci (notice how the surnames usually are included as a distancing, objectifying technique, as if these action figures are still fresh from the box, whereas his former best friend Daisy remains just Daisy, sweet and lovely, yet not motivated to remain close to him). Unlike Daisy, Xavier and Gianni are rough, rowdy kids. But during the novel, Justin sees a bit deeper into them. Gianni loves stuffed animals as much as Justin does. Xavier calls Justin his friend. Those moments work like scaffolding to hold up Justin and connect him to a world that may have vulnerability too.
The family and social demands on Justin are complex, and this would be a terrific book to read aloud in the classroom or at home, to talk about Justin’s perceptions and the reality of the situations that challenge him so much. It’s a good book to talk through because it’s a book with something to say.
August 2, 2010
Really ... more like a four and a half. Justin is hilarious! I actually stopped and marked a couple lines. Hopefully you will think they are as funny as I do.
"If my costume for Halloween were "some other kind in my class,' I would wear it all the time for the rest of my life so that nobody would know I am me, the boy whose mother has to bring him his lunch and then kiss him in front of everybody." (38)
"It's just hard for me to convince myself to tray and keep the ball for myself when a kid comes at me, looking like he wants the ball more than anything in the world. Because the truth is, I really feel like he can have it. I'm happy to let him have it. I'll play with it later if I want to." (67)
"I no thank you gym class. Push-ups are ridiculous. It is just relaxing, interrupted, over and over again." (124)
"Today is Cinco de Mayo. That is a Mexican holiday. So we had an assembly and did a dance around a hat." (195)
"If my costume for Halloween were "some other kind in my class,' I would wear it all the time for the rest of my life so that nobody would know I am me, the boy whose mother has to bring him his lunch and then kiss him in front of everybody." (38)
"It's just hard for me to convince myself to tray and keep the ball for myself when a kid comes at me, looking like he wants the ball more than anything in the world. Because the truth is, I really feel like he can have it. I'm happy to let him have it. I'll play with it later if I want to." (67)
"I no thank you gym class. Push-ups are ridiculous. It is just relaxing, interrupted, over and over again." (124)
"Today is Cinco de Mayo. That is a Mexican holiday. So we had an assembly and did a dance around a hat." (195)
August 20, 2011
Justin Case: School, Drool, and Other Daily Disasters is the story of one boy’s year in third grade. Justin worries about everything, and I do mean everything. Will his new third grade teacher be nice or mean? Will he fail the third grade because he’s having trouble remembering what 8x3 equals? Where has his most favorite stuffed animal gone? Why does his dad seem to like torturing him by signing him up for soccer, baseball, and other potentially embarrassing sporting activities? Why is there something as scary-sounding as the Boiler in the Way-Back of the basement? Why must he learn to play the violin and then have a recital to show everyone how horrible he is? Will he ever get a dog? If he does, can he stop being afraid of dogs? Why are the girls in his class so weird all of a sudden? Is there any way he can possibly survive the third grade? He doesn’t think so.
Join Justin as he tries to get through his year in the third grade. Everyday brings something new: new worries, new adventures, new friends, new embarrassments, new accomplishments. Even though Justin worries about everything, he is a funny character that all readers will root for.
This book is seriously one of the funniest I’ve read in a long time. I laughed out loud while I was reading it, and I thought Justin was totally relatable. (He reminded me a little of myself. I’m a bit of a worrier, too.) I think anyone who enjoys the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books should definitely pick this one up. You won’t be sorry.
Join Justin as he tries to get through his year in the third grade. Everyday brings something new: new worries, new adventures, new friends, new embarrassments, new accomplishments. Even though Justin worries about everything, he is a funny character that all readers will root for.
This book is seriously one of the funniest I’ve read in a long time. I laughed out loud while I was reading it, and I thought Justin was totally relatable. (He reminded me a little of myself. I’m a bit of a worrier, too.) I think anyone who enjoys the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books should definitely pick this one up. You won’t be sorry.
January 4, 2022
What a delight of a book! Justin is a kid who worries about everything and spends most of his days inside his head perseverating on those worries. The whole book is done in diary format to tell all the happenings of his life—teacher troubles, family stuff, how he is terrible at sports and new and changing friendships. Always a fan of acknowledging childhood anxiety through books and I found myself laughing out loud at many parts of this book.
May 10, 2018
I read this book with my mom when I was but a wee book grub, and we still make references to "rarest puss" and "the way back of the basement." (It's a weird book.) I don't remember what it's actually about, but I remember thinking it was hilarious. I should probably reread this sometime...
August 6, 2018
This was really a delightful book, much better than I was anticipating. Witty and clever, charming and sweet, with just the right amount of humor, and equal parts nostalgic and thoughtful. Reminiscent of the old Wonder Years television show, and not unlike the best of Beverly Cleary in its character and tone. Looking forward to the sequel.
August 14, 2021
Um bom livro, bem fácil e rápido. Uma história "bobinha", porém legal.
November 27, 2010
Reviewed by Rusty Key Writer: Jordan B. Nielsen
Recommended for: Particularly boys, aged 9 to 13, but the main character of this story is so relatable in his angst and turmoil that there is nothing to stop girls from loving and identifying with him just as much.
One Word Summary: Neurotic.
If Woody Allen or David Sedaris were to have kept a diary when they were in third grade, it undoubtedly would have read like ‘Justin Case’, a sharp, quirky, put-the-book-down-because-you’re-laughing-so-hard-you-can’t-see-the-words-anymore funny narrative that explodes with personality.
Justin Krzeszewski (“Most people just call me Justin K., because Krzeszewski looks like somebody fell asleep and their head rolled around on the computer keyboard”) is a little high-strung. If he were half as good at the sports that his parents foolishly keep signing him up for as he is at fretting he would be a gold medalist. But unfortunately soccer, baseball and basketball fall on the same, long list as dogs, Jell-o, the boiler in his basement, his new teacher, failure, and public speaking: things that he not only dislikes intensely, but that send him into fits of near apoplexy. The book shirks a traditional plot structure for a year’s worth of Justin’s daily diary entries. Some as short as “Mom says no blood. She ruins everything,” others covering long, tortured scenes of internal mayhem. The year is full of events that keep Justin up at night, sweating over the possible outcomes: a school election, holidays at insane and unpleasant relative’s houses, a dinosaur science fair, old, close friendships growing distant, new ones forming with people that challenge and rattle Justin’s sensibilities.
You might suspect that a book featuring a character who regards practically everything with a high level of apprehension and pessimism would become repetitive after a time. But what keeps Justin Case fresh in page after page of diary entries are the moments where Justin surprises you, and sometimes himself, with his bravery and compassion. Vail makes interesting use of the concept of an unreliable first person narrator by showing us glimmers of how the world perceives Justin, rather than how Justin believes he is perceived. Friends seem to flock to him, though he doesn’t recognize it. His school projects are often the hit of the class, though he’s consumed with how difficult they were to create. Teachers laud him, but he’s far more focused on what he must accomplish next to secure their approval. He worries constantly about the welfare of his little sister, revealing the depth of his love for her. The subtext of Justin’s words tell you so much more about him than Justin can himself, and with this little trick, Vail creates a wonderfully textured and nuanced character who is as loveable for his neurosis as he is for strengths.
For more reviews from The Rusty Key, visit us at www.therustykey.com
Recommended for: Particularly boys, aged 9 to 13, but the main character of this story is so relatable in his angst and turmoil that there is nothing to stop girls from loving and identifying with him just as much.
One Word Summary: Neurotic.
If Woody Allen or David Sedaris were to have kept a diary when they were in third grade, it undoubtedly would have read like ‘Justin Case’, a sharp, quirky, put-the-book-down-because-you’re-laughing-so-hard-you-can’t-see-the-words-anymore funny narrative that explodes with personality.
Justin Krzeszewski (“Most people just call me Justin K., because Krzeszewski looks like somebody fell asleep and their head rolled around on the computer keyboard”) is a little high-strung. If he were half as good at the sports that his parents foolishly keep signing him up for as he is at fretting he would be a gold medalist. But unfortunately soccer, baseball and basketball fall on the same, long list as dogs, Jell-o, the boiler in his basement, his new teacher, failure, and public speaking: things that he not only dislikes intensely, but that send him into fits of near apoplexy. The book shirks a traditional plot structure for a year’s worth of Justin’s daily diary entries. Some as short as “Mom says no blood. She ruins everything,” others covering long, tortured scenes of internal mayhem. The year is full of events that keep Justin up at night, sweating over the possible outcomes: a school election, holidays at insane and unpleasant relative’s houses, a dinosaur science fair, old, close friendships growing distant, new ones forming with people that challenge and rattle Justin’s sensibilities.
You might suspect that a book featuring a character who regards practically everything with a high level of apprehension and pessimism would become repetitive after a time. But what keeps Justin Case fresh in page after page of diary entries are the moments where Justin surprises you, and sometimes himself, with his bravery and compassion. Vail makes interesting use of the concept of an unreliable first person narrator by showing us glimmers of how the world perceives Justin, rather than how Justin believes he is perceived. Friends seem to flock to him, though he doesn’t recognize it. His school projects are often the hit of the class, though he’s consumed with how difficult they were to create. Teachers laud him, but he’s far more focused on what he must accomplish next to secure their approval. He worries constantly about the welfare of his little sister, revealing the depth of his love for her. The subtext of Justin’s words tell you so much more about him than Justin can himself, and with this little trick, Vail creates a wonderfully textured and nuanced character who is as loveable for his neurosis as he is for strengths.
For more reviews from The Rusty Key, visit us at www.therustykey.com
April 23, 2013
Oh, I have such mixed feelings about this book. So many things to like, but one huge, glaring problem that I can't ignore. In a nutshell, Justin is totally diagnosable, on the spectrum for an anxiety disorder, or perhaps OCD. I kept waiting for this to be addressed, for some responsible adult in Justin's life to recognize the many, many red flags/cries for help (the scene where he loses it in class on pages 30-34 is pretty close to textbook, I'd say).
I waited in vain. Apparently, Justin is just a "worrywort," and he just needs to try harder, and be braver, and everything works out in the end, through sheer effort on Justin's part, and his friends and family being very, very nice. Arrrgh. What message is this sending to kids with mental health issues? Not getting over your fears/compulsions/problems? Sorry, you just need to try harder! It's your fault, your problem!
Justin is downright miserable much of the time in this book. The adults around him are loving and supportive and all that, but they're freaking clueless (his mom's response to his breakdown in class is to find it hilarious). Yup, that might be how it really is for many kids in real life, but this isn't real life, it's a book for kids in grades 2-4, and I find it flat-out irresponsible for the author not to address this very real issue.
If it seems like I'm pissed off, I am, because it's a well-written book, with lots of laughs and heart, so it just makes me that more annoyed with this major flaw!
I waited in vain. Apparently, Justin is just a "worrywort," and he just needs to try harder, and be braver, and everything works out in the end, through sheer effort on Justin's part, and his friends and family being very, very nice. Arrrgh. What message is this sending to kids with mental health issues? Not getting over your fears/compulsions/problems? Sorry, you just need to try harder! It's your fault, your problem!
Justin is downright miserable much of the time in this book. The adults around him are loving and supportive and all that, but they're freaking clueless (his mom's response to his breakdown in class is to find it hilarious). Yup, that might be how it really is for many kids in real life, but this isn't real life, it's a book for kids in grades 2-4, and I find it flat-out irresponsible for the author not to address this very real issue.
If it seems like I'm pissed off, I am, because it's a well-written book, with lots of laughs and heart, so it just makes me that more annoyed with this major flaw!
July 30, 2010
They need a category for "didn't finish reading because it was a waste of time". My boys have LOVED the Diary of a Whimpy Kid series so when I saw this book in the same type of format about a third grade boy, I eagerly picked it up. It was a huge disappointment. The book is written in the first person but there is not one thing about the writing that even tries to pretend a third grade boy wrote this. The voice is terrible, his life is tragic that is is flat out depressing instead of funny, and the story tries too hard to be what Whimpy Kid was but falls so far off the mark. I quit reading it, shared with my husband all the reasons why this book was a waste of money and then put it in the give away pile. On to brighter pastures...
December 12, 2015
Fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid will enjoy this, though it's much longer and wordier. I definitely chuckled at quite a few parts, but about fifty pages from the end I was way ready to be done with it. 3.5 stars!
A few lines that I got a kick out of:
"I wore my glow-in-the-dark Batman pajamas. So did Xavier Schawrtz. (I mean, he wore his. He didn't wear mine, too.)"
"Think big. Be ambitious."
"The kind of cookies he bought were called Jaffa Cakes. According to the packge, Jaffa Cakes have orange-centered yippie and also a squidgy bit. They are from England. Apparently British children are weird."
A few lines that I got a kick out of:
"I wore my glow-in-the-dark Batman pajamas. So did Xavier Schawrtz. (I mean, he wore his. He didn't wear mine, too.)"
"Think big. Be ambitious."
"The kind of cookies he bought were called Jaffa Cakes. According to the packge, Jaffa Cakes have orange-centered yippie and also a squidgy bit. They are from England. Apparently British children are weird."
June 9, 2010
I was laughing out loud as Justin K., dubbed "Justin Case" by his classmates because he's afraid of everything, navigated the dangerous waters of third grade, with gym embarassments, shifting friendships, visiting relatives, warring or missing stuffed animals and a teacher named Ms. Termini (say it fast). This kid has a very real, smart voice, and an sense of the absurd that is spot on. His loving, though sometimes exasperating family help him get through his challenges, and his kindness and even bravery earn him new friends. A winner. and i suspect a great read-aloud.
January 31, 2011
I did end up really enjoying this book. I picked it up on my way out of the library off the table labeled Best Books of 2010. I thought it was great, though it sounded much more mature than what a third grader would think. But maybe Justin is a mature third grader.
I don't know. It was just one of those random weird picks that had me smiling. No more or less than that. Would I have named it one of the best books of 2010. Probably not. But, enjoyable nonetheless.
I don't know. It was just one of those random weird picks that had me smiling. No more or less than that. Would I have named it one of the best books of 2010. Probably not. But, enjoyable nonetheless.
May 25, 2011
I really, really, really liked this book.
First, I think the voice of Justin is absolutely, completely, one-hundred percent true. I heard my 7-yo son talking when I read this book. I love the way so many issues were handled: changing friends, annoying relatives, fear of not meeting parental expectations. I loved the way Justin grew throughout the book, in baby-steps. I think the diary format was spot-on. The whole thing was so well-done. This is one I will be studying. A great, fast read.
First, I think the voice of Justin is absolutely, completely, one-hundred percent true. I heard my 7-yo son talking when I read this book. I love the way so many issues were handled: changing friends, annoying relatives, fear of not meeting parental expectations. I loved the way Justin grew throughout the book, in baby-steps. I think the diary format was spot-on. The whole thing was so well-done. This is one I will be studying. A great, fast read.
June 8, 2011
This was a very cute book, and it was fun to read!
Justin Case is the story of an anxiety-ridden third grader and his daily life. It definitely tries to be like Wimpy Kid, in that it's in a diary format, but it is totally not the same. This kid truly is wimpy. There was some really funny dry humor in the book that I enjoyed a lot.
Jim grabbed this off the shelf for me, and I'm glad he did. It was a nice little story, and Matt read it yesterday at the beach and liked it too!
Justin Case is the story of an anxiety-ridden third grader and his daily life. It definitely tries to be like Wimpy Kid, in that it's in a diary format, but it is totally not the same. This kid truly is wimpy. There was some really funny dry humor in the book that I enjoyed a lot.
Jim grabbed this off the shelf for me, and I'm glad he did. It was a nice little story, and Matt read it yesterday at the beach and liked it too!
November 10, 2010
I suppose this is a book to hand to Wimpy Kid fans but does anyone else think that the narrator sounds much older than a third-grader? And in no way is this book at a third grade reading level, the font is tiny and the book is almost 250 pages long. My verdict is that this book is confused and so was the author. She should stick to YA fiction.
July 8, 2011
I agree with the other comments posted by our group about the "conflict" between the reading level (5.2)and the age of the main character (third grade) in Justin Case. If these were closer I would have given this book 4 stars. It is enjoyable and addresses real kid issues: school, worrying, friendship, etc. Kids will read this.
August 21, 2014
Hooray for Justin Case! Highly recommended. Great MG read for boys and girls. Anyone who has ever felt just the slightest bit nervous or shy. Remember, worry isn't the opposite of bravery.
FYI: I met the author, too. She's fabulous! Read her picture book, Piggy Bunny, as well. Is there anything she can't write?
FYI: I met the author, too. She's fabulous! Read her picture book, Piggy Bunny, as well. Is there anything she can't write?
June 24, 2011
Cute story kids will find a lot to identify with. Long, challenging reading level considering protagonist's age and maturity level.
August 5, 2011
Hilarious! Worry-worts will love it. Great for 3rd graders and any fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid.
November 3, 2016
Okay story about the issues of a third grade, although I'm not sure many 3rd grade boys have this much angst. Reading level is too high for targeted age group. Should have been a 5th grader?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 20, 2016
Great book to use as a read aloud for the beginning of the year!
April 7, 2020
In "School, Drool, and Other Daily Disasters (Justin Case #1) By Rachel Vail. The characters are Justin, Elizabeth, Mom, Dad, Poopsie, his grandpa, Gingy, his grandma, Montana C, Gianni Schicci, Xavier SchwartzNoah, Qwerty, and Wingnut. Justin worries a lot and is one of the fastest kids in third grade. His worrying gets in bad and good situations. He has to get over this big worry of his to be able to pass the third grade. You should read the book to find out if he's able to do it. I suggest this book to anyone from 5th through 7th grade. I really liked this book because it was interesting to see how much worry can lead you through good and bad things and how to get past those bad things. I gave this book a 5 out of 5 because it was a great book to read. I think the theme for this book is "Don't let worrying get the best of."
October 13, 2018
Thought it might be similar to the other "diaries" kids have been reading in past years, so I took a peek. It was entertaining, and sort of tragic. I am sure this is going to appeal to various children due to it's format- what kid doesn't enjoy peek reading other's diaries?! And of course, some kids are going to relate to Justin, who seems to be suffering from some sort of OCD or depression, or something..where are the adults??? The kid needs some help! And, of course, kids who know someone like this- most do- they will either be laughing or relating. For most kids, however, it's going to be a "I'm glad my life isn't that bad!" book. Kids 3-13 should enjoy the story series.
February 4, 2017
A 3-5 grade book clearly written by someone who knows kids and is from a kids point of view. I thought it amusing since I am a teacher
Example: He is not allowed to say hate.
"You know what I hate as much as slobber?
Times tables.
I mean I completely no thank you times tables>" pg 105.
"Gianni started screaming that he had found Witchie Poo....I ran away fast because I don't honestly care what kind of poo was on that stick; I still would prefer not to be touched with it." pg 157. (The illustation for that was amusing.)
Example: He is not allowed to say hate.
"You know what I hate as much as slobber?
Times tables.
I mean I completely no thank you times tables>" pg 105.
"Gianni started screaming that he had found Witchie Poo....I ran away fast because I don't honestly care what kind of poo was on that stick; I still would prefer not to be touched with it." pg 157. (The illustation for that was amusing.)
November 23, 2016
Justin Case: School, Drool, and Other Daily Disasters is the daily diary of a third-grade boy named Justin Krzeszewski (a name he says "looks like somebody fell asleep and their head rolled around on the computer keyboard") who has a lot of worries. He's not crazy about the idea of third grade to begin with, but things go from bad to worse when he is separated from his best friend (and second best friend) because of a mix-up with his class assignment, his beloved stuffed dog goes missing, his family gets a new dog who terrifies him, and his little sister, Elizabeth, seems to be anything but scared of starting kindergarten, while he finds something new to fear each and every day. His daily entries - sometimes a few lines, sometimes a few pages - recount in hilarious and honest detail the highs and lows of Justin's third grade year.
This is one of the funniest children's books I have ever read. It doesn't take a great joke to make me smile, so I've found humor in a lot of the books I've read, but this one had me laughing out loud on practically every page. Justin is such an underdog character, and his struggles just to get through the difficult tasks of memorizing times tables, making new friends, attending birthday parties, and getting through gym class, made me want to see him succeed. While adults know that the minor setbacks of childhood are small blips in the grander scheme of things, to children, in that moment, they seem all-encompassing, and this book does a wonderful job of capturing that feeling, and taking it seriously.
There were many, many wonderful moments in this book - so many that sharing them all would undoubtedly result in spoilers. So here are just a few of my favorites, which I hope will encourage you to snatch up this book if you haven't yet.
One of my favorite things about Justin is the way he acts out his anxieties and problems using his stuffed animals, which he calls stuffties. As the stress of the new school year begins taking its toll in late September, his diary entry reads,
"My stuffed animals are having a war. Nobody is getting along at all. Wingnut has to sleep on my pillow to get away from the fighting, and Snakey, who had been sleeping on the Pillow of Honor (which I made at my cousin Lydia's birthday party last year) because he was the newest stuffty is in timeout.
His job was to scare off bad guys.
He was scaring everybody else instead."
Many authors write convincingly of childhood sports and games, but I don't know of many who can capture the imagination of an eight-year-old as perfectly as Vail does here. (And I'm quite sure I had something similar to a pillow of honor for new stuffed animals when I was a kid, which made this passage all the more enjoyable for me.)
Another wonderful moment in this book occurs when Justin is playing soccer in mid-November. His dad really wants him to be good at it, but Justin's just not a particularly aggressive or athletic kid.
"It's just hard for me to convince myself to try to keep the ball for myself when a kid comes at me, looking like he wants the ball more than anything in the world. Because the truth is, I really feel like he can have it. I'm happy to let him have it. I'll play with it later if I want to. I know I should not be feeling like that and I'd never tell anybody that's how I feel, but really I do.
Poor Dad."
Another great psychological insight into the mind of a kid who just isn't very sports-minded.
At Christmas, Elizabeth is given one line in the class play. She has to say, "And we, the kindergartners, welcome you." Justin gets this phrase stuck permanently in his brain, and it makes an appearance in a nightmare.
"It is very hard for a person to concentrate in school when he has spent the night before having nightmares about a very dangerous criminal named Bad Boy breaking into his room, and doing terribly violent things to his stuffties, who are basically defenseless (even the ones with teeth, because the teeth are soft and can't do much harm despire their ferocious looks), and while he is torturing them Bad Boy is saying in his horribly sinister voice, 'And we the kindergartners, welcome you!' over and over."
That is just plain funny.
Rachel Vail has written a lot of books I've enjoyed - Wonder, Do Over, If We Kiss, You, Maybe, and many other titles about tween and teen girls. But with Justin, she has blown all of those books away. In a Publishers Weekly interview last May, Vail said,
"...honestly it was only at the very end of that long process of writing and rewriting that I really began hearing Justin’s voice. I had a complete manuscript in my hand and I called my editor, Liz Szabla, and said, “I’m finished, but this just isn’t Justin’s book.” When I first began writing books, I swore to myself that I would never forget the truth of what it feels like to be a kid and that I would never condescend. When I finally began to hear Justin whispering his story in my ear, I knew I had to take him seriously."
I'm so thankful she did. This book is a great addition to the world of children's literature, and really appeals to kids because of that truth, and that lack of condescension. I'd recommend it to fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Big Nate, Alvin Ho, Ramona Quimby, Clementine, and to third graders everywhere looking for a character who understands what they're going through.
This is one of the funniest children's books I have ever read. It doesn't take a great joke to make me smile, so I've found humor in a lot of the books I've read, but this one had me laughing out loud on practically every page. Justin is such an underdog character, and his struggles just to get through the difficult tasks of memorizing times tables, making new friends, attending birthday parties, and getting through gym class, made me want to see him succeed. While adults know that the minor setbacks of childhood are small blips in the grander scheme of things, to children, in that moment, they seem all-encompassing, and this book does a wonderful job of capturing that feeling, and taking it seriously.
There were many, many wonderful moments in this book - so many that sharing them all would undoubtedly result in spoilers. So here are just a few of my favorites, which I hope will encourage you to snatch up this book if you haven't yet.
One of my favorite things about Justin is the way he acts out his anxieties and problems using his stuffed animals, which he calls stuffties. As the stress of the new school year begins taking its toll in late September, his diary entry reads,
"My stuffed animals are having a war. Nobody is getting along at all. Wingnut has to sleep on my pillow to get away from the fighting, and Snakey, who had been sleeping on the Pillow of Honor (which I made at my cousin Lydia's birthday party last year) because he was the newest stuffty is in timeout.
His job was to scare off bad guys.
He was scaring everybody else instead."
Many authors write convincingly of childhood sports and games, but I don't know of many who can capture the imagination of an eight-year-old as perfectly as Vail does here. (And I'm quite sure I had something similar to a pillow of honor for new stuffed animals when I was a kid, which made this passage all the more enjoyable for me.)
Another wonderful moment in this book occurs when Justin is playing soccer in mid-November. His dad really wants him to be good at it, but Justin's just not a particularly aggressive or athletic kid.
"It's just hard for me to convince myself to try to keep the ball for myself when a kid comes at me, looking like he wants the ball more than anything in the world. Because the truth is, I really feel like he can have it. I'm happy to let him have it. I'll play with it later if I want to. I know I should not be feeling like that and I'd never tell anybody that's how I feel, but really I do.
Poor Dad."
Another great psychological insight into the mind of a kid who just isn't very sports-minded.
At Christmas, Elizabeth is given one line in the class play. She has to say, "And we, the kindergartners, welcome you." Justin gets this phrase stuck permanently in his brain, and it makes an appearance in a nightmare.
"It is very hard for a person to concentrate in school when he has spent the night before having nightmares about a very dangerous criminal named Bad Boy breaking into his room, and doing terribly violent things to his stuffties, who are basically defenseless (even the ones with teeth, because the teeth are soft and can't do much harm despire their ferocious looks), and while he is torturing them Bad Boy is saying in his horribly sinister voice, 'And we the kindergartners, welcome you!' over and over."
That is just plain funny.
Rachel Vail has written a lot of books I've enjoyed - Wonder, Do Over, If We Kiss, You, Maybe, and many other titles about tween and teen girls. But with Justin, she has blown all of those books away. In a Publishers Weekly interview last May, Vail said,
"...honestly it was only at the very end of that long process of writing and rewriting that I really began hearing Justin’s voice. I had a complete manuscript in my hand and I called my editor, Liz Szabla, and said, “I’m finished, but this just isn’t Justin’s book.” When I first began writing books, I swore to myself that I would never forget the truth of what it feels like to be a kid and that I would never condescend. When I finally began to hear Justin whispering his story in my ear, I knew I had to take him seriously."
I'm so thankful she did. This book is a great addition to the world of children's literature, and really appeals to kids because of that truth, and that lack of condescension. I'd recommend it to fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Big Nate, Alvin Ho, Ramona Quimby, Clementine, and to third graders everywhere looking for a character who understands what they're going through.
Read
January 24, 2020 This book is called"school, Drool, and other daily disasters" this book starts the school year, Justin didn't get the teacher he wanted to get and he did get the same class as his best friend.
Elizabeth his sister is starting school and doesn't seem nervous at all. But on the other hand, Justin is very nervous. In this book, it is hard for Justin because he lost his stuff animal and he can't tell anyone because he thinks he is going to be made fun of.
Elizabeth his sister is starting school and doesn't seem nervous at all. But on the other hand, Justin is very nervous. In this book, it is hard for Justin because he lost his stuff animal and he can't tell anyone because he thinks he is going to be made fun of.
October 23, 2016
I started out reading this book because it is a Bluestem Nominee (an Illinois award) and I wanted to book talk this to the elementary school kids I see in November. I ended up loving this book. I think a lot of kids in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade will be able to relate to Justin and see a little of him/herself in Justin.
April 13, 2018
I really enjoyed reading this book.
What I liked about this book was the humor. Justin was really relatable somehow too.
What I didn't like was nothing. I have nothing wrong to say about it.
And what I felt while reading this book was a connection with Justin because I remember in 3rd grade I was stressed about random things. And I always thought "What if ___".
I highly recommend!
What I liked about this book was the humor. Justin was really relatable somehow too.
What I didn't like was nothing. I have nothing wrong to say about it.
And what I felt while reading this book was a connection with Justin because I remember in 3rd grade I was stressed about random things. And I always thought "What if ___".
I highly recommend!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 207 reviews