Tha Martainn Macmhuirich ur Dhan Sgoil Againn

by David Mackintosh

Air gearr liosta Roald Dahl Funny Prize Leabhar ibhinn mu bhalach a bhuineas do shaoghal eile! Tha Mrtainn MacMhuirich aocoltach riumsa... Tha a ghirdean spotach, ghoid e speuclairean bho bhalach eile agus tha a bharraillean ceangailte gu dreach 's chan ann crios-crois mar a tha an fhadhainn agamsa. Tha am breacadh-seunain air a shrin coltach ri sol nan eun. Marshall Armstrong is new to our school. He looks different to me. His laces are straight, not criss-crossed like mine, And his eyes are always looking at the blackboard.

Genres: Picture Books, Friendship, School, Childrens, Fiction, Humor, Realistic Fiction

Paperback

First published March 28, 2011

About the author

David Mackintosh loves books with pictures in them, flying, visiting cities, and being read to. His picture book Marshall Armstrong Is New to Our School was short-listed for the Roald Dahl Funny Prize and long-listed for the Kate Greenaway Medal. He lives in London.

Reviews

[Megan Bamforth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about diversity and inclusivity. Never judge anyone from what they look like or how 'different' they appear. A new boy turns up at school, and children think that he looks different, but they soon learn that they have more in common than expecting. This tale of acceptance of new people is important for pupils to learn about from a young age!

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book with a message about tolerance and diversity and unusual in that rather than being about gender, race or sexuality, is in relation to being 'cool' or a 'nerd'.

Marshall Armstrong is an eccentric character who stands out for the 'wrong' reasons at school: he wears peculiar clothes, he rides a penny farthing, he is pale and stays out of the sun, he can't do PE, he doesn't have a TV and he eats strange food. The narrator of the book is tasked with looking after him at school and hates it, declaring that Marshall Armstrong "doesn't fit in".

That all changes when the children go to his birthday party. Our narrator expects the party to be dull but sees a different side to Marshall; the party is unusual and fun and he realises that Marshall's difference means they get to try new things and learn from him.

I didn't give this a higher rating because there are some parts I didn't understand the point of, for example "Bernadette has to go home early". Who is Bernadette? Why does she leave the party early? Does our narrator care? It seemed a weird detail in an otherwise carefully presented book.

The book doesn't show Marshall getting upset at the children's initial reaction to him and so he comes across as a kid from a Wes Anderson film - i.e. spunky, smart and cool, even if the other kids don't realise it at first.

A great book for discussion about not being judgmental!

[Amy Seto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marshall Armstrong is the new kid at school and his desk mate, the boy narrator of this book, thinks he’s different. Marshall Armstrong eats “space food” at lunch. He reads during recess because his doctor says he can’t play. Marshall Armstrong doesn’t even have a TV at home, instead he prefers to read the newspaper. But everything changes when the class is invited to Marshall Armstrong’s birthday party. Marshall Armstrong turns out to be a great new kid, even if he’s different from the rest of the class.

The artwork grabbed me from page one with stunning layouts and humorous juxtapositions. Marshall Armstrong is a delightfully unique fellow, showing up to the first day of class in a straw boater and a striped blazer. Mackintosh blends traditional and digital techniques; the characters look hand drawn, but their world is accented by college and found object elements. The text is humorous as well and I especially love the wonderful descriptive phrases: “Marshall Armstrong’s ear looks like a shell. His hair reminds me of driving in the countryside to visit Grandma.” The text and illustrations support one another very well and each heightens the descriptive power of the other.

Full Review at Picture-Book-a-Day: http://picturebookaday.blogspot.com/2...

[Jala Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Text-to-World Connection:

"Marshall Armstrong doesn't look anything like us!" Sounds a bit familiar? This prejudgement gesture is commonly thought about quietly and even said sometimes aloud. People tend to treat others bad or keep a stand-off approach around things that seem unfamiliar or strange to them. This is a great book to show grasp the concept that, "books shouldn't be judge by it's cover." It was certain that Marshall didn't look like the average kid but his "weirdness" actually turned to be " the coolest" after all. All it took was some time of interaction and getting to know him.

[Mrs. Nelson's · Rating 4 out of 5]

We know from page one that this kid is the one who will be the subject of everyone's disdain. The quirky artwork and simple text builds the case very gradually with narration from Marshall's disgruntled seat mate. The big surprise comes when they are all invited to Marshall's birthday party where they expect to be bored out of their gourds! Great for K - 4th read-aloud on the first few days of school!
--Review by Carol

[N · Rating 4 out of 5]

The new kid at school uses a nib with ink instead of a pencil and has liquified poached eggs for lunch. That alone is grounds for being put in a cage and stared at from a safe distance all day.

But Marshall Armstrong's classmates learn a thing or two about how to treat newcomers after getting invited over for a birthday party, where they discover that his house is made entirely of awesome.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book about being the new kid, but not from the perspective of the new kid. Fun illustrations and a good message about accepting others differences and connecting to those unlike ourselves.
Recommended as a classroom read-aloud.

[Patricia Lamoza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marshall Armstrong is New to Our School is the kind of book I've been searching for. There are so many books about being the new kid, being brave, and confronting fears. Marshall is not that kid, and this is not that book.
This book is told from the perspective of an established student being confronted with an outsider. Someone different. Someone confident in himself and all his oddities. Instead of placing all the work on the new student to fit in, Marshall does not wait to be accepted as many books would have him do. Instead, it is a guide for the other student(s) to keep an open mind, get to know him, accept him and befriend him.
The author demonstrates how a child's mind sees a difference and assumes the worst with excellent precision. Luckily, the narrator's mother forced him to go to young Marshall's birthday party, and the boy learned that there are more ways to enjoy life than just those he already knew.
I loved this book for its celebration of the absurd, the off-center. The book's wonky illustrations and distorted, misaligned, varied typeface contributed to Marshall's (and his family's) quirkiness. It is an important lesson for kids to grasp that there are many different ways to live and enjoy life!

[Parvathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about how we form biases based on appearance. This book is written from the POV of a character from this book about another character called Marshall Armstrong.

I enjoyed the details in this book, how we look at someone new, how we carefully inspect the way they present themselves and go about their day. I also enjoyed the way the author illustrates Marshall's house, to show how unique Marshall's family is.

One star less because there was a upper class bias here. Like Marshall was a wealthy kid so his weirdness and big house, and party was totally ok. But what if Marshall wasn't from a big house who couldn't afford things like unique gift bags and stuff? Idk 😶

I loved the ending of the book, how the character who had these biases was open to meeting another child on their first day of school.

[Geoff Battle · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you have a child just about to start school, or moving schools early in their life then this book could be helpful. It covers, quite cleverly, the fact that children are quick to spot and be distrustful of differences between themselves and other children. Of course, by the end of this relatively short story the message is firmly stated - we are different and that's good. The illustrations are off kilter, their simplicity somehow offering children plenty to look at. This is a book you would label as odd and pass by, which does it an injustice. My little girl also decided that it looked odd after she finally (some three weeks later!) read it she said, "Again daddy" - which is all you need to know.

[Rose Rosetree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Billed as "a highly original take on the popular theme of the difficulties of being the new kid and making friends," this Marshall Armstrong book really delivers.

Being different is no reason to hide, to cringe, to dissemble.

Every human alive is unique, including identical twins. (Check out what "chakra databanks" within auras can show about the amazing, unquenchable individuality of each human being.) (Just be sure to use those quotes around "chakra databanks" when you google; then read some of the articles you'll find on this topic by this Goodreads author.)

Wish I could go to that party to celebrate Marshall! On the other hand, like any Goodreader here, we can make our own party, our own highly individual party!

[Gerry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Marshall Armstrong is 'out of this world' and so think the children in his class as he attends his new school.

Everything about him is different and his class mates notice things such as 'He has spotty arms', 'His laces are straight, not criss-crossed like mine' and even 'His freckles look like birdseed on his nose'!

David Mackintosh uses amusingly different ways of showing all of this as the children go through a day at school and then Marshall has a party that the children are not looking forward to. But it turns out fantastically well and at the end of it all, the children realise that Marshall, although different, is 'Great!'

[Dimity Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unique illustrations paint a familiar picture of new kid in school-itis for Marshall Armstrong. What I love about this new-kid-on-the-block tale though is Marshall's seeming nonchalance and disregard for his differences. His state of self-possession and calm is exhilarating and turns out to be the perfect artifice to his true life. This is a great proclamation of not judging a book by its cover that celebrates friendships in the most beautiful way.

[Maeve · Rating 3 out of 5]

Marshall Armstrong is new to school, and the narrator does not like him because he is different. But when he is invited to Marshall's birthday party (and is made to go by his mother), he begins to like Marshall. It's clear he's learned a lesson, because when a new girl arrives at school, he makes sure to welcome her.

[Kirsten - Children's Library Lady · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quirky Marshall Armstrong doesn't fit in at his new school. But he soon shows the other students you don't have to follow the crowd to be popular. Promotes themes of individuality, self-awareness, relationship skills and open-mindedness.

[Miss Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes when we meet new people we make a judgement about how they are before really getting to know them. Sometimes a good way to get to know them is to play at their house and see what really makes them who they are.

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid message about withholding judgment. Amusing, maybe a bit long.

[J.J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book highlights the differences kids notice at school but overcome once they go to his birthday party!

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute story about maybe not judging the new kid until you get to know them!

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fave Illustrator. I always love the focus on "kid-thoughts."

[Meghan Collins]

I really liked this book and overall thought it had a good message to young readers. The illustrations were good; very detailed to match the style of writing.

I liked how the illustrations were simple, and looked as though they were done with colored pencils. To a young reader this seems as if someone their age could have done the drawing, which I think makes a younger student connect with the story more. The book was written in the point of view of a young student, and the illustrations truly matched. I felt this was the strongest thing that resonated with me while reading this book.

I was most drawn to how the young student described Marshall, the new student to his school. His descriptions were extremely detailed, and in child friendly language. He described everything from his glasses to the freckles on his face. He even described his glasses as being owned by a different person because of the brand "Ray Ban" written on them. He uses other descriptions of Marshall like this one, which I thought made the writing in this picture book very unique.

I would recommend this book to teachers and parents because of the unique style of writing, unique method of illustration and the overall message of the book. While not necessarily dealing with bullying, this book addresses the importance of not judging someone before you get to know them. Marshall was unique, and different from the other students. Knowing the other students did not like him, he invited everyone to his birthday party anyways. As it turns out, all the students loved Marshall after they got to know him. At the end of the book, the students in the class welcomed the another new student to the class. The end of the book displays the lesson that the students learned through Marshall coming to the new school.

I would use this book in my classroom for a moral lesson. I cannot think of any other use to relate to subjects, but this moral theme is very important. I can see myself using this in the beginning of the year as students are meeting people they have never met before. As we all know bullying is a huge issue in schools today. Though this book does not directly deal with bullying, it is a small step to teach children to be kind to everyone and can help to at least prevent bullying in some way.

[Amrit · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have seen a few of David Mackintosh’s books but have not read one, but the title and illustrations on the front cover caught my attention. The title, ‘Marshall Armstrong is new to our school’ suggested that this may be a story about a boy and his struggles to fit into school, an issue many children can relate too. As I began to read, I enjoyed the light humor of a very peculiar boy, who was the complete opposite to any other child. I enjoyed that Mackintosh created comparisons between the two extending to lunch, stationary and looks, but in a light hearted manner. The page that stood out for me was when the boy in the story was reluctantly on his way to Marshall’s birthday party and discussed all these preconceived negative thoughts he had of the party. This soon changed. The layout and illustrations of this page, had such an impact and complimented the story.
However, I believe below the humor was a very serious message, of not judging children. Initially when children are introduced to a new setting it can be difficult for them to settle, and other children may judge them. This is particularly important in representing Britain, as it is home to a diverse range of cultures and to be tolerant of each other no matter of beliefs, religions, physical features and sexuality. I enjoyed this book and potentially this book and the illustrations can be a stimulus for discussions on being tolerant of each other.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marshall Armstrong is New to Our School by David Mackintosh is a perfect book for the beginning of the school year for older elementary students (grade 2 and up), particularly if your class has new students. The narrator explains that the main character, Marshall, is quirky and very different than the other students in the class. In fact, Marshall is very strange. It seems that Marshall is at peace with his differences and not bothered by the fact that he does not “fit in.” The narrator is invited to a birthday at Marshall’s house where he realizes that Marshall is actually great and what makes him different is also what makes him so special. The book ends with an introduction to another new student, Elizabeth Bell, and it is clear that the narrator of the story has learned a lesson. He is now more than willing to welcome Elizabeth. A writing extension might be to have students write a sequel called “Elizabeth Bell is New to Our School” and think of how Elizabeth might be quirky and different, but also wonderful. This book is a celebration of individual differences and would be a good springboard for a class discussion about bullying or brainstorming ways to help others feel welcomed in your classroom.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Marshall Armstrong joins the narrator's class, he is certain that the new kid will never fit in. After all, he's simply too weird in so many ways--weird in a bad way, that is. For instance, he doesn't play sports and prefers reading the newspaper to watching television as well as eating food that looks as though it belongs on a space craft instead of in the cafeteria. While the narrator lists all of Marshall's inadequacies, he seems blithely unconcerned about following the norm. When Marshall's mother plans a party for his birthday, the narrator is sure it will be a disaster and that no one will go. But what actually happens is delightful and reminds readers that sometimes individuals who are different from others are also quite interesting. This book would be a marvelous read aloud and a great conversation starter about individuality. The illustrations allow Marshall's uniqueness to be tested against the bland normality of the others in his class.

[Tasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marshall Armstrong is the new kid at school and he is very different from everyone else. His things are different. He looks different with his birdseed freckles and ears like shells. His arms are white with red bumps that he says are mosquito bites. He even eats “space food” for lunch! He can’t play during recess. He stays out of the sun. He doesn’t watch any TV. So when Marshall Armstrong has a birthday party, everyone is sure that it is going to be awful. But guess what, Marshall Armstrong’s house is different too! Different in some great ways!

Read the rest of my review on my blog, Waking Brain Cells.

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

The title and cover illustration let you know what’s going on. Marshall Armstrong doesn’t seem to fit in with his new classmates. He plays differently, eats differently, and doesn’t look the same at all. Although the plot is predictable – Marshall’s classmates learn to appreciate his different interests when they all come to his house for his birthday – the story is still sweet. Usually, books about tolerance focus on children of a different race, nationality, or ability level. In this one, Marshall’s just a nerd. But the kids at his school come to understand that nerds can be the coolest kids of all.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Marshall Armstrong is the new kid in school and he's a bit of an odd duck. He invites everyone to his birthday party but the young narrator is reluctant to go. After sitting next to Marshall Armstrong at school, he's convinced that the party will be dull and boring. It turns out that Marshall Armstrong's house is full of fun, interesting, and unique ways to occupy yourself. A good lesson for kids who are starting to become aware that not everything is as it presents itself. This book is perfect for my third graders.

[clare o'c · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marshall is the new kid in school. He's different. different looking, has different stuff, eats different food and can't do P.E. Marshall invites the whole class to his b-day party, and our nameless narrator, a boy in the class, just KNOWS it's going to be not fun at all and his mother is making him go AND give a present. When I read this to the kids, they could totally relate. They loved seeing and hearing what the party was actually like. Super engaging read aloud and great for all kinds of discussions. Highly recommend.

[Joella · Rating 3 out of 5]

Marshall Armstrong is new to school. And he is different. He looks different. His stuff is different. He eats different. He plays different. How can he fit in at school when he is so different? Soon other kids start to learn that sometimes different=cool. And this is a fun book all about celebrating different. Good times.

[Rebecca Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really charming book about a boy who is new to school and doesn't fit in. The narrator is a little boy who doesn't like him at first, but decides at the end that new kids are even more fun because they are different. The illustrations are bright, cartoonish and have lots of white space. Great for story time about new kids, school, or friends.