Fourth Grade Weirdo

Martha Freeman's Fourth Grade Weirdo is the perfect adolescent chapter book to read. The developing years are filled with awkward moments, peer pressure and moments when you think that the entire world is against you. As soon as Dexter, the main character, enters the fourth grade he realizes that the world is not made up of perfect math equations or spelling bees. Being the only fourth grader who carries a briefcase to class and who is relieved to hear calculus test, this world of creativeness that his fourth grade teacher Mr. Ditzwinkle is pushing him to discover is creating many bumps in the road. Dexter finds himself getting into some trouble both at home and at school while on his journey to figure out who he really is. 

Like I mentioned earlier this book covers a lot about the pressures of being a fourth grader. Whether it being a  dad demanding perfection or a "crazy" teacher who picks on a students piece of work in front of the class. Dexter lives through it all. The story emphasizes that you can;t always judge a book by its cover, because they might surprise you when you really start to get to know them. I think the end message that it's okay not to be perfect and sometimes we do make mistakes, but it is what we do following our mistakes that really count. 

The book is set in a fourth grade classroom. In middle school clicks and popularity is at its prime and could really damage a fourth grader's self-esteem if he or she is not included. I think this book would address both sides to this click issue in schools today. If "popular" students read it, they could see the outcome of their actions on their "prey" and how much words can hurt a person. On the other side, for all the "fourth grade weirdos" out there, I was one of them, it lets them know they are not alone in this terrible phase of life, and that the best thing you can do is be the best you can be. It will all work out in the end. This is how I would want my students to feel after they read a book like this one. 

Being 150 pages long, it is a book that is long enough that students will feel accomplished and proud after they finish reading it. However, the words aren't too advanced and I found myself laughing at some of the funny things that happen to poor Dexter in the fourth grade. The book also has larger print which makes it easier for students to read.