What do you think?
The Brand New Kid
Ellie McSnelly and Carrie O'Toole were running and laughing-their first day of school was today! And they wondered just what was in store.
Would this be a good year?
Would school be a bore?
Everyone remembers feeling excited and nervous each fall on the first day of school. It's no different for Ellie McSnelly and Carrie O'Toole. But this year, there's not only a new teacher to meet, but a brand new kid as well. Lazlo S. Gasky doesn't look or speak quite like the other kids, and no one is sure what to make of him. In fact, they respond to his arrival at Brookhaven School by taunting and teasing him. But when Ellie realizes how tough it is for Lazlo, she reaches out, and after school one day they share an afternoon of soccer, strudel, and chess. Besides making a new friend, she and Lazlo teach their classmates an important lesson-one that isn't in their schoolbooks-about accepting people who are different...and in getting to know Lazlo, the kids learn that people aren't that different from each other after all.
From one of America's most respected journalists, The Brand New Kid is a heartwarming story about tolerance and the need to give others a chance that will entertain and inspire children and adults alike.
Would this be a good year?
Would school be a bore?
Everyone remembers feeling excited and nervous each fall on the first day of school. It's no different for Ellie McSnelly and Carrie O'Toole. But this year, there's not only a new teacher to meet, but a brand new kid as well. Lazlo S. Gasky doesn't look or speak quite like the other kids, and no one is sure what to make of him. In fact, they respond to his arrival at Brookhaven School by taunting and teasing him. But when Ellie realizes how tough it is for Lazlo, she reaches out, and after school one day they share an afternoon of soccer, strudel, and chess. Besides making a new friend, she and Lazlo teach their classmates an important lesson-one that isn't in their schoolbooks-about accepting people who are different...and in getting to know Lazlo, the kids learn that people aren't that different from each other after all.
From one of America's most respected journalists, The Brand New Kid is a heartwarming story about tolerance and the need to give others a chance that will entertain and inspire children and adults alike.
32 pages, Hardcover
Published October 10, 2000
About the author
Katie Couric
25 books263 followersKatherine Anne "Katie" Couric is notable as an American journalist who became well-known as co-host of NBC's Today. In 2006, she made a highly publicized move from NBC to CBS, and on September 5, 2006 she became the first solo female anchor of the weekday evening news on one of the three traditional U.S. broadcast networks. She currently serves as the anchor and managing editor of the CBS Evening News, having replaced Bob Schieffer on September 5, 2006. Schieffer served as the interim anchor following the departure of long time anchor and managing editor Dan Rather on March 9, 2005.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
January 14, 2017
A standalone picture book for children that explores tolerance in a school in the town of Delasky.
My Take
The graphics are playful, cheerful watercolors, and Couric's rhyming verse is so very well done…I almost didn't notice it until I fell into a sing-song of reading.
This really is a lovely book with an excellent message. One that is so necessary for kids to understand. This is one that teachers AND parents need to pay attention to, one of kindness and acceptance. Teachers even more than parents, because they're the ones there in the classroom who see what's going on.
Yes, parents should teach their children to accept, but it's the teachers who are there. Schools claim to have a policy against bullying, and yet too many do nothing.
Lazlo should never have had to go through this. Why didn't the teacher interest the students in him? Explore the country he came from? Get Lazlo to tell stories of his home? "Help" the other kids welcome him?
Couric has a great message here, and I'll hope it gets through to parents AND teachers! My only quibble (which is quite unfair of me, as this is a children's book!) is that I wish she had gone deeper.
The Story
It's always exciting (and scary) on that first day of school, but even more so when you're the new kid who doesn't quite fit in.
It takes a brave young girl to reach out and discover how much of a muchness, this new boy is.
The Characters
Lazlo S. Gasky is the new student in town with a sad, tired mother.
Ellie McSnelly and Carrie O'Toole are best friends starting a new school year.
Brookhaven School
Fellow classmates include Emily Allen, Tyler Antole, Peter Barsinsky, Raquel Brooks, Ricky Jensen, and Susie McGraw.
Miss Kincaid is the second grade teacher.
The Cover and Title
The cover is darkly colorful with its blackboard background and the pointy-nosed teacher, a curl clinging to her cheek and her bi-colored sleeves, writing the title on that blackboard, mostly in white chalk but with the "T" and the "B" in red violet and green with a dark red dot on the "i"s. The author's and illustrator's names are also chalked on in descending order. The best part is the frightened looking Lazlo (ooh, that was tacky, thinking a frightened boy is "best"!?) in his orange sweater vest over his royal blue T, his blond spiky hair standing up in disarray. A last bit of bright is the yellow, green, and orange plaid bordering the left side.
The title is the point, The Brand New Kid, who always comes under fire.
My Take
The graphics are playful, cheerful watercolors, and Couric's rhyming verse is so very well done…I almost didn't notice it until I fell into a sing-song of reading.
This really is a lovely book with an excellent message. One that is so necessary for kids to understand. This is one that teachers AND parents need to pay attention to, one of kindness and acceptance. Teachers even more than parents, because they're the ones there in the classroom who see what's going on.
Yes, parents should teach their children to accept, but it's the teachers who are there. Schools claim to have a policy against bullying, and yet too many do nothing.
Lazlo should never have had to go through this. Why didn't the teacher interest the students in him? Explore the country he came from? Get Lazlo to tell stories of his home? "Help" the other kids welcome him?
Couric has a great message here, and I'll hope it gets through to parents AND teachers! My only quibble (which is quite unfair of me, as this is a children's book!) is that I wish she had gone deeper.
The Story
It's always exciting (and scary) on that first day of school, but even more so when you're the new kid who doesn't quite fit in.
It takes a brave young girl to reach out and discover how much of a muchness, this new boy is.
The Characters
Lazlo S. Gasky is the new student in town with a sad, tired mother.
Ellie McSnelly and Carrie O'Toole are best friends starting a new school year.
Brookhaven School
Fellow classmates include Emily Allen, Tyler Antole, Peter Barsinsky, Raquel Brooks, Ricky Jensen, and Susie McGraw.
Miss Kincaid is the second grade teacher.
The Cover and Title
The cover is darkly colorful with its blackboard background and the pointy-nosed teacher, a curl clinging to her cheek and her bi-colored sleeves, writing the title on that blackboard, mostly in white chalk but with the "T" and the "B" in red violet and green with a dark red dot on the "i"s. The author's and illustrator's names are also chalked on in descending order. The best part is the frightened looking Lazlo (ooh, that was tacky, thinking a frightened boy is "best"!?) in his orange sweater vest over his royal blue T, his blond spiky hair standing up in disarray. A last bit of bright is the yellow, green, and orange plaid bordering the left side.
The title is the point, The Brand New Kid, who always comes under fire.
July 12, 2017
The Brand New Kid is a children’s book about the new kid in school. Lazlo, the new kid is different than the other kids and all of the students in his class make fun of him for his differences. Lazlo has bright blond hair, a very loud voice and he fidgeted. The students throw things at him and trip him at school, it even gets so bad that his mother is sad. One day Ellie, a girl in his class introduces herself and asks Lazlo to play. The play date goes very well and things start to turn around at school. This book represents how Ellie stood up to peer pressure and did the right thing. This could be a great book to read aloud to your students at the beginning of the school year because all students are new in the beginning of the year. Standing up to peer pressure is a very hard thing to do, that is why this book would be best read at the beginning of the year so problems don’t arise. I would recommend all teachers purchasing this book at their local library or online at amazon.com.
March 8, 2012
The Brand New Kid is the typical story of a kid who starts at a new school and no one friends him because of their differences. This happens all the time at school and this book would be a great way to prevent such things from happening. It reminds us that even though someone may seem very different you will never know how much you have in common with that person unless you give them a chance and get to know them. This is usually taught at a young age, but its sad to see even adult do it. I would recommend this to all age groups as a small reminder to not judge and take the time to get to know others.
August 15, 2014
I liked the theme of this story . . . accepting people who are different and realizing that we may have more in common than we first thought. I also like the underlying message about treating your classmates with kindness.
The illustrations didn't appeal to me, even though I usually like watercolor. I didn't like the faces of the characters. Their noses and lips seemed unnatural. As for the story, it was told in verse. I felt the rhymes were often forced and the form limited the development of the plot. The book jacket says the story was written for ages 3-8, but I doubt that most young children would enjoy this book.
The illustrations didn't appeal to me, even though I usually like watercolor. I didn't like the faces of the characters. Their noses and lips seemed unnatural. As for the story, it was told in verse. I felt the rhymes were often forced and the form limited the development of the plot. The book jacket says the story was written for ages 3-8, but I doubt that most young children would enjoy this book.
September 1, 2011
This book is about a kid who is new to school. At first, people make fun of him and don't want to be his friend because he is different. However, the book has a happy ending because the other students learn that being different is not bad; in fact, you can be friends with someone who is very different from you!
March 15, 2020
Oh my lord, this is just the most amateurish garbaazhe I've read in ages; Katie Couric should have been arrested for turning in this dreck. Famous people who've read a few picture books and think it's easy, then push out some awkward trash that forces rhymes into bad meter that ends on the wrong page are a menace to the picture book world.
November 17, 2012
This book I like cause it was trying to tell us that dont treat the New Kind bad cause what happen if you were the New Kid would you want to get treated badcause i know i wouldn,t want that so I like this book.
September 19, 2017
Genre: Fiction
Unique Feature: Makes children that have been at the school for so long understand what its like to be the new kid and maybe during the next recess they will be sure to ask the new kid to play with them.
Grade: K-3rd
Unique Feature: Makes children that have been at the school for so long understand what its like to be the new kid and maybe during the next recess they will be sure to ask the new kid to play with them.
Grade: K-3rd
November 7, 2012
This book was sad.): Those kids were mean to Lazlo. I liked this book because it was so cute a the end where he made new friends!(;
February 4, 2013
The rhyming felt forced. The message is a good one.
October 4, 2021
This is a story about a boy named Lazlo S. Gasky and he is a new student in his second grade class. He has an accent and is different than the kids in his class and they can clearly see he is different and treats him poorly. All he wants is to fit in and make a friend, but the beginning of the year is hard and it takes him a while to make a friend. This girl sees that he is struggling and is a cool person. She goes up to Lazlo and asks to have a playdate and he is overjoyed. They get together at his house and have a fun time together. Lazlo's mother makes pastries for them to enjoy, they sit outside and play chess. It is a great time and Lazlo is now enjoying 2nd grade because one person changed his experience and he had a lot more friends now. This is a great story to show how we should treat others even if they are new. I have been a new student at a school and it is not fun. I did not have many friends and I felt out of place. I can use this book as a tool in my classroom on how you treat people. You do not need to be friends with everyone in your class, but everyone should be treated nicely. I will not have students in my future class making a new student feel bad or sad that they won't fit in. My class will be taught to be welcoming to everyone and friendly to all people entering the classroom. I like this book and am excited to buy it and have it in my classroom!
Read
April 21, 2020Title: The Brand New Kid Author: Katic Couric
Plot: There's a brand new kid in the class and he talks and looks different from the others and he is made fun of because of it. He meets a girl in his class and they become close friends.
Characters: The other characters are mean to the main character. His new friend is nice and caring.
Main Conflict: There's a new kid in the class and he doesn't look like the rest of the class so he is made fun of and has no friends.
Main Theme: There will always be people that are different from you and that is okay. You can find great friends in people who differ from you.
Authors Style: Funny, laid back, but to the point.
Authors POV: We should be kind to others.
Layout: I really enjoyed all of the colors used in this book, as well as the illustrations. Very well put together.
Standards: RL.3.3, Rl.3.1
Overall Assessment: This was a very good book to use to teach inclusion and to practice is.
Plot: There's a brand new kid in the class and he talks and looks different from the others and he is made fun of because of it. He meets a girl in his class and they become close friends.
Characters: The other characters are mean to the main character. His new friend is nice and caring.
Main Conflict: There's a new kid in the class and he doesn't look like the rest of the class so he is made fun of and has no friends.
Main Theme: There will always be people that are different from you and that is okay. You can find great friends in people who differ from you.
Authors Style: Funny, laid back, but to the point.
Authors POV: We should be kind to others.
Layout: I really enjoyed all of the colors used in this book, as well as the illustrations. Very well put together.
Standards: RL.3.3, Rl.3.1
Overall Assessment: This was a very good book to use to teach inclusion and to practice is.
July 28, 2019
I was filled with so much empathy while reading this book. My heart went out to young Lazlo. I remember going to school and being picked on myself–it’s not a good feeling at all. It’s so easy to follow the crowd and treat others poorly. But it only takes one person’s act of kindness and courage to shift the oftentimes miserable, lonely tide for an ostracized student. Will you be a leader or a follower? Hmmm…
It is my guess that Priceman’s medium of illustration is watercolor. Honestly, I’m not a fan of the illustrations. They lacked the human quality for me and came off unrealistically. I was very disappointed with that. The text size was appropriate and easy and to read. The text itself had a nice flow to it. I enjoyed the overall message of the book. Couric opens the door for parents to have an open and honest discussion with their kids about tolerance and compassion.
It is my guess that Priceman’s medium of illustration is watercolor. Honestly, I’m not a fan of the illustrations. They lacked the human quality for me and came off unrealistically. I was very disappointed with that. The text size was appropriate and easy and to read. The text itself had a nice flow to it. I enjoyed the overall message of the book. Couric opens the door for parents to have an open and honest discussion with their kids about tolerance and compassion.
November 4, 2019
genre: Realistic Fiction
awards: N/A
audience: 1st-3rd grade
A. The author shows personalities through descriptive dialogue and uses the illustrations to aid in helping the reader connect with both the new boy and the kind girl who befriends him in the end. You feel for the boy as he is being teased and your heart is warmed when the girl asks him to play.
B. The main topics presented in this book are friendship and empathy because the little girl Ellie sees how the new boy is struggling to make friends and fit in, so she decides to kindly invite him to play and then sticks up for him at school causing him to gain many more friends.
C. Why did Ellie decide to invite Lazlo over? She saw how upset he and his mother were and decided to reach out to him and give him a chance to be her friend.
awards: N/A
audience: 1st-3rd grade
A. The author shows personalities through descriptive dialogue and uses the illustrations to aid in helping the reader connect with both the new boy and the kind girl who befriends him in the end. You feel for the boy as he is being teased and your heart is warmed when the girl asks him to play.
B. The main topics presented in this book are friendship and empathy because the little girl Ellie sees how the new boy is struggling to make friends and fit in, so she decides to kindly invite him to play and then sticks up for him at school causing him to gain many more friends.
C. Why did Ellie decide to invite Lazlo over? She saw how upset he and his mother were and decided to reach out to him and give him a chance to be her friend.
April 8, 2019
Genre: Contemporary Realistic Fiction
Awards: NA
Audience: Pre School through second grade\
A. The author helped me connect with the girls in the story because I remember being excited to see who was in my class. I remember being excited to meet new kids and I remember what it was like to see kids be mean to other kids.
B. Topics that are present in the book are friendship between Ellie and Carrie as well as the friendship between Ellie and Lazlo. Bullying is also addressed as well as moving from one country to another.
C. What is one of the themes in "The Brand New Kid"? One of the themes is that it is important to get to know someone before you judge him or her.
Awards: NA
Audience: Pre School through second grade\
A. The author helped me connect with the girls in the story because I remember being excited to see who was in my class. I remember being excited to meet new kids and I remember what it was like to see kids be mean to other kids.
B. Topics that are present in the book are friendship between Ellie and Carrie as well as the friendship between Ellie and Lazlo. Bullying is also addressed as well as moving from one country to another.
C. What is one of the themes in "The Brand New Kid"? One of the themes is that it is important to get to know someone before you judge him or her.
February 2, 2018
I give this book a 3 star rating.
This book is about the new kid that comes to school. It's hard already starting a new school year but it was even harder for Lazlo. He was new to the school district and town. At first he wasn't making friends. Everyone was making fun of him. After seeing Lazlo having a hard time, Ellie started to become friends with him. As Ellie and Lazlo become friends, everyone gets on the same page.
Ways to use this is a classroom
1) Use when bullying is bad to handle
2)Teach lesson about students needing to be kind to everyone
3) Share experiences of this
This book is about the new kid that comes to school. It's hard already starting a new school year but it was even harder for Lazlo. He was new to the school district and town. At first he wasn't making friends. Everyone was making fun of him. After seeing Lazlo having a hard time, Ellie started to become friends with him. As Ellie and Lazlo become friends, everyone gets on the same page.
Ways to use this is a classroom
1) Use when bullying is bad to handle
2)Teach lesson about students needing to be kind to everyone
3) Share experiences of this
February 17, 2018
I read this book for a read aloud with a grade 1 class. The students loved it so much that they clapped at the end of the story! It comes with great pre- and post-reading questions, which led to a wonderful discussion.
September 21, 2019
I liked this book because it wasn't in the point of view of the new student, but a student who was in the class of the new student. I liked it because a child could relate to this story on both perspectives.
February 28, 2025
Loved the rhyming and rhythm of this book. It had a nice flow and good theme. It’s about a struggling new kid in second grade who wants to leave the school because of bullies until he makes a friend.
July 16, 2017
A great book about being the new kid and making friends. 'reminds me of The Invisible Boy.
November 28, 2018
I enjoyed this book. I think it is important for students to learn at an early age to always include the new kid in the classroom.
December 15, 2018
This is a well-illustrated story about accepting people who are different.
Want to Read
February 9, 2021i want to read this
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
October 29, 2021School; First Day of School; New Student at School
November 3, 2021
Fantastic message about taking time to get to know people who seem different than you.
September 6, 2023
If only all kids were kind enough to see past their differences.
September 24, 2025
4.5 stars
my second grade son really enjoyed this book
my second grade son really enjoyed this book
May 8, 2026
I heard he’s terrific at chess!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 21, 2026
Good message about fitting in at a new school and reaching out to the new kids! The rhyming/prose seemed a little off though and the artwork is just so-so.
November 30, 2017
This book is a great way to use in a classroom, especially on the first day of school to break down the walls so every child can feel welcome in the classroom.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews