Saturday, November 6, 2010

The Defense of Thaddeus A. Ledbetter - John Gosselink

Publisher:  Amulet Books
Pages 240
Source:  Purchased
Genre:  Middle Grades Realistic Fiction

This was probably one of the most hilarious books I;ve read this year.  Maybe I laughed so hard because as a teacher, I could see how exasperating this child could be.  Yet, I could also see some things from his perspective.  I kept asking myself what kind of man this kid would grow up to be with all of the energy he had.

When Thaddeus ends up in ISS, sentenced there for the rest of the year, he starts planning his case, just like a lawyer would.  The letters to the principal, his attorney uncle are absolutely hilarious.  I loved reading how this kid's mind worked.  As I read the paper he wrote about quotes for his American History teacher and the comments she made on his paper, I thought of my own students who choose to write what they want instead of what I assign.  Kids who like Jeff Kinney's "Diary of a Wimpy Kid"  series will like this book.  I can't wait to see what my students think of it.


(The opinions expressed here are mine and not those of the other panalists)

1 comment:

  1. The great news is that this book is now out in paperback with a new title (FREE THADDEUS!) and new cover. I used this book as an independent reading selection with 5th/6th grade gifted students and they loved it. I think it appeals to middle schoolers across reading levels because of its unique format and Thaddeus himself.

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