Gooney Bird on the map

In the days before spring vacation, Gooney Bird's second-grade class is divided into the haves (the three gloating children whose families have travel plans) and the have-nots (everyone else, including the teacher). Gooney Bird's bright ideas range from a class snow-map project to a party invitation that makes the haves long for a staycation. The fifth entry in the Gooney Bird Greene chapter-book series, this story shows its unique protagonist resourcefully dealing with an experience familiar to many children. Witty and perceptive in equal measure, the book features fine-tuned dialogue, kid-friendly illustrations, and a strongly realized classroom setting.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2010 Booklist

Gr 1-3-Gooney Bird Greene and her second-grade classmates are back. This time, the class is gearing up for February vacation and exploring the month's other celebrations-Valentine's Day and several presidents' birthdays. Gooney Bird, as always, is brimming with facts and ideas. When some students are upset because others are going to exotic destinations, Gooney Bird cooks up a plan to bring everyone together, culminating in the creation of a large, snowy U. S. map on the playground and a presentation about states for the entire school. Occasional black-and-white illustrations add to the accessibility of this short chapter book. A sure hit for Gooney Bird fans.-Amanda Moss Struckmeyer, Middleton Public Library, WI (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

February break is on everyone's mind in Gooney Bird Greene's second grade class, and the conversation constantly turns to three students' vacation destinations: Florida, Hawaii, and Vermont. A bag of candy hearts temporarily diverts the students, but what they need to help them focus is a project. Calling one another by their candy heart names (Sweet Thing; U Da Man; U Go, Girl!) throughout the story, Mrs. Pidgeon and her small class show that they have grown into a supportive and intimate community. They know one another well and trust Gooney Bird to come up with the perfect group project. In this fifth book in the series, Lowry deals with the ticklish classroom issue of students gloating about vacations. She (and Mrs. Pidgeon and Gooney Bird) handle it well, helping young readers reflect on the competitive chatter that often strains the fabric of a class right before holidays. robin l. smith (c) Copyright 2011. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(Fiction. 7-10)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

In the days before spring vacation, Gooney Bird's second-grade class is divided into the haves (the three gloating children whose families have travel plans) and the have-nots (everyone else, including the teacher). Gooney Bird's bright ideas range from a class snow-map project to a party invitation that makes the haves long for a staycation. The fifth entry in the Gooney Bird Greene chapter-book series, this story shows its unique protagonist resourcefully dealing with an experience familiar to many children. Witty and perceptive in equal measure, the book features fine-tuned dialogue, kid-friendly illustrations, and a strongly realized classroom setting. Copyright 2011 Booklist Reviews.

Gr 1–3—Gooney Bird Greene and her second-grade classmates are back. This time, the class is gearing up for February vacation and exploring the month's other celebrations—Valentine's Day and several presidents' birthdays. Gooney Bird, as always, is brimming with facts and ideas. When some students are upset because others are going to exotic destinations, Gooney Bird cooks up a plan to bring everyone together, culminating in the creation of a large, snowy U. S. map on the playground and a presentation about states for the entire school. Occasional black-and-white illustrations add to the accessibility of this short chapter book. A sure hit for Gooney Bird fans.—Amanda Moss Struckmeyer, Middleton Public Library, WI