A teacher leaves a journal in the Writer's Corner of her classroom. The book comes with a few simple rules- write in the book, have fun, and sign your name. What begins as an attempt to get the students writing turns into a classroom battle. Students compete for time with the book. The book fills with short stories, poems, and illustrations. Not all of it is nice. Some students use the book to poke fun at others. The boys try to shock the girls with their "potty" mouths. Then, someone kidnaps it, and one student's suggestion turns a hurtful experience into an activity in unity.
©2024 Kathy Maxwell at https://bookskidslike.com ( )

I didn't like how most of this book was the students calling each other names and fighting. Not only does it set a bad example but it's also just uninteresting to read. I can't imagine kids getting very excited about this book. It doesn't have any of the charm of the Wimpy Kid books which I'm sure it was modeled after. ( )

Very funny story about a class of students who discover a writing journal in their classroom one day. This is a great story for 1st - 3rd graders. ( )

This hilarious classroom journal is a great read. Ms. Wurtz leaves a blank book in her classroom with instructions to her students to write anything they want. There are two rules: have fun; and sign your name. She asks the students not to tell each other about the book. What happens next is hilarious jottings by the students (who end up fighting over who gets to write in the book).

Response - Loved this book. Very clever and humorous. I thought that the author did a great job writing from the perspective of students and developing characterization.

Curricular connections - literature circles, reading groups, read aloud, characterization