| The Amazing World of Stuart |
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What You Need to Know:
• Stuart uses his imagination to cope with his family's move to a new house and a new school.
• This compilation includes two independent stories, Stuart’s Cape and Stuart Goes to School.
• The Amazing World of Stuart is a great introduction to chapter books.
• Check out the fun pages at the back of each story for Stuart’s advice column (“There are no bathrooms in the sky”)
and instructions on how to draw Stuart.
• Author, Sara Pennypacker, also wrote the very funny Clementine series.
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Sweet Book Summary:
Stuart may be shorter than the average eight-year-old, but he makes up for it with his full size imagination. This book includes two separate titles that were each originally published on their own. The first book begins a few days before Stuart is going to begin 3rd grade at a new school. He wants to do something fun but hasn’t made any new friends yet. He’s feeling lonely and nervous, worrying about everything from snakes and robbers to getting lost and making friends. To deal with his boredom, and also his fears, Stuart decides that he needs a cape because “Adventures only happen to people with capes.” He staples together 100 ties and a purple sock and the magic begins.
Stuart finds that when he wears his cape, amazing, wild and zany things happen around him. He plays hide-and-seek with talking animals who stop by for a visit, he flies with the birds until his Aunt Bubbles rescues him, he grows giant toast in his backyard, and he makes friends with a trashman who traded places with his cat, One-Tooth. In the second book, Stuart takes his cape - and its magic - to school. He still worries, but he believes that if he wears his cape then the kids will like him. And in the end, they do!
This book will keep readers interested and entertained as the scenes flow without pause from the realistic to the nonsensical. The chapters are short, the font is large and there is plenty of white space. There are also amusing illustrations on almost every page. The characters' facial expressions perfectly capture each scene, and readers won’t want to miss seeing Stuart with his cape flying behind him or wrapped around him as he stands proudly in front of the class. Stuart’s story is funny and silly, but Stuart is also one of those special characters that readers will remember and think about even after they’ve put the book down. |
Author: Sara Pennypacker Illustrator: Martin Matje Published: 2010, 128 pages
Themes: Books for Boys, Excellent Read-Aloud, Humor, Imagination, Moving, Overcoming Fears, School |
Sweet Discussion Questions:
• Do you worry? What are some things that worry you?
• How do you feel about the first day of school?
• Would you like to be friends with Stuart? Why or why not?
• How does Stuart’s cape help him to face his fears?
• In what ways is Stuart brave? When do you feel brave?
• Do you have to be amazing to make friends or can you just be yourself?
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| This recommendation was written by: Melissa G. |
| Support Independent Book Shops: Click Here to Buy this Book on IndieBound |
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Capture the Flag
