Happy 100th Day!
illustrations by Mary Newell DePalma
Scholastic Press, 2011
Graham doesn't like school. He really doesn't like reading. And he's not impressed by his teacher's excitement over the 100th Day of School. The one thing he looks forward to? His class birthday party. But as the year ticks by, he realized his birthday falls on the dame date as the 100th Day celebration! Will anyone remember Graham's special day? from Kirkus Reviews: The 100th-day theme combines artfully with a well-crafted story about a struggling reader. Graham is not happy to be back in school and is certainly not looking forward to the 100th day of it, unlike his enthusiastic teacher. Miss Currier is serious about three things--reading, the 100th day, and celebrating birthdays. She has given everyone a 100th-day project, and Graham's is to read 100 books. Over time, readers see Graham's self esteem improve as, with the help of two sixth-grade tutors, his pile of finished books increases. But Graham's birthday overs the 100th day; will the class have time to celebrate? Milord employs a journal style dated with the number of days in school, allowing readers to follow Graham's progress. DePalma's vibrant illustrations feature textured backgrounds and figures that are cut out and pasted, giving them a dimensional effect. Each spread includes 100 objects for readers to find and count. A refreshing change from the usual ruck of 100th-day books, this could stand on its own as a tale about hard work paying off. |