How to break a world record and survive Grade Five by Carla Fitzgerald

Sam is obsessed with one book - we would call it The Guiness Book of Records. Sam calls it The Big Book of Records. He reads this book at school, in the school library at lunch time, with his best friend Vihaan after school and on weekends. If you look closely at the cover you can see some the world records that Sam has tried to beat and yes, they are all fairly crazy! For example: most sticky notes stuck on a face in one minute - 60 - set by someone in USA in 2014. 

In his class the teacher announces a new assignment.

"In 500 words describe your proudest moment. You will be asked to read your work to the class and are welcome to bring in any certificates, trophies or other relevant objects to help describe this moment."

There are two key words in this assignment that cause Sam huge distress - certificates and trophies. His sister has certificates displayed all over their fridge. And there are trophies in her room and other parts of the house because, even though she is only nine years old, it feels to Sam that she is the family superstar, and he is almost invisible. 

The class assignment gives Sam and idea - IF he can break a world record, and IF he can do it all the official way and have witnesses and time keepers etc, and IF he can submit this to the World Record people in time, he MIGHT get a certificate and he MIGHT gain some recognition in his family and best of all he MIGHT have something fabulous to share for this school assignment. The other kids MIGHT even be hugely impressed.

Of course, some records are impossible, some are messy, some cost money and they don't much of that in his one parent family, some rely on involving others such as his friend or sister but then he hits on the best record that he surely can achieve - the most scoops of ice cream balanced on a single cone - 125 - set by someone in Italy in 2018. And luckily Sam is friends with the man who drives the local ice cream van. 

Publisher blurb: Sam is a kind and thoughtful eleven-year-old, but he thinks he’s not that great at anything. His sister, Ava, is a soccer star and his best friend, Vihaan, is an award-winning artist. The one thing Sam is good at is knowing all about the extraordinary feats in the Big Book of Records. When Sam is set a class project about a moment he’s proud of, he can’t think of anything and takes inspiration from his favourite book. He knows he’ll be proud of himself if he can break a world record! But breaking a world record isn’t easy. And things get even harder when someone close to Sam needs his help and he must decide: will he be good? Or be the best?

You do have to stick with this book because the real action or purpose or poignant moment doesn't happen until page 250 and the whole book is only 278 pages so this moment is nearly at the end of the journey we have taken with Sam as he tries to break a world record and gain some level of fame in his family, class, and neighborhood.

This book will appeal to readers aged 10+. It is an easy book to read and Australian readers will understand the local references. One small example is the Good Guys electrical retail store from here in Australia is called The Great Guys in this story. 

Each chapter begins with a world record (some are real and some specific to Sam):

Longest Handstand 11.82 minutes; Heaviest watermelon 159kg; Most socks put on one foot in under thirty seconds = 22 socks; Largest collection of garden gnomes 2042; and so on. 

Here is the website for the author Carla Fitzgerald. Thank you to UQP for this advance copy. How to break a world record and survive Grade Five will be published at the end of July, 2024.

I previously talked about:

How to be Prime Minister and survive Grade Five

I once made a library display or set of posters with book that incorporated grade names - but sadly most of these are now out of print.

I was a Third Grade Spy; Captain Jimmy Cook discovers Third Grade

Keena Ford and the Second Grade mix-up

The Fabled Fourth Graders of Aesop Elementary

The Last fifth grade of Emerson Elementary

Leo and Ralph by Peter Carnavas

 

Image source: Peter Carnavas

"Just because you couldn't see something, didn't mean it wasn't there."

Video from UQP

Leo's head is full of wonder. 

"His head was filled with questions. Were his footsteps like earthquakes for tiny bugs in the grass. Why was an apple called an apple and cake called cake? What if everyone slept during the day and stayed awake at night?"

One day he sees a white balloon floating in the sky. How long will it float? Will it float forever? Where will it come down? What if the wind blows it higher? Where does the sky end? His mother uses the word forever and so Leo's fascination with space, the universe, aliens, and other worlds begins.

"The whole sky - all that endless space - was suddenly inside him, filling his chest until he thought he might burst. It was the most exciting thing he had ever heard."

Other kids don't exactly reject Leo, but he just doesn't fit in at school. Games are confusing, he takes a long while to answer questions, and all that noise from crowds of kids are just too much for young Leo. Then one day Ralph arrives. Actually, he turns up when Leo sees another white balloon in the tree outside his room. Ralph has come from another planet. Ralph is the perfect friend. Now Leo can cope with life, and he no longer needs to worry that he is disappointing his mum and dad. But Ralph does tell Leo he will stay for "as long as you need me." Does this mean one day Ralph will need to leave?

Allison Tait was also deeply affected by this book - she says it contains a stunning "depiction of loneliness and not fitting in and trying to follow the instructions of well-meaning parents and the sheer overwhelm of trying to make a friend when you're not sure how."  "It's a wonderful ode to the power of the imagination."  Your Kids Next Read podcast from [10.36- 14.49].

I went to the post office on Friday and there were three parcels waiting for collection. One was this book sent by the publisher University of Queensland Press. I can hardly describe the wonderful experience of reading this book this morning. Peter Carnavas has done it again! There is just the right amount of tension in this story to keep you turning the page and just the right depth of emotion. I cared so much about young Leo - I almost held my breath through the first fifty pages. Things are so hard for young Leo. I also needed those hugs that Peter Carnavas includes in the story from mum, dad, his little sister Peg and especially from Ralph.

I know it is very early in the year, but I am certain this book will be a CBCA (Children's Book of Australia) Younger Readers notable title and surely it will also make the short list. Leo and Ralph will be published on 1st March, 2024.

There are so many FABULOUS things about this book - the writing, the character of Leo, his journey through this early part of his life and the beautifully expressive writing of Peter Carnavas. Here are a few phrases which I loved reading:

"Leo stood in the playground in the shade of his big bucket hat. He looked like a tiny beach umbrella."

"Inside his belly, a thick lump of worry washed away like a fistful of sand in the ocean."

'Dundle was orange-brown. And oven-hot. As Leo stood with his family on the footpath of the main street, he felt like a blob of dough crisping into a biscuit."

I also love the wonderful teachers in this story. Every teacher is kind to Leo and accepting of Ralph culminating with Ms Pengari his Grade Four teacher who wears crazy costumes every day (rather like Ms Frizzle from The Magic School bus series). Her clothes match the class topic. Below are a few descriptions. I know Peter Carnavas is a teacher - I wonder if he might be just like Ms Pengari or perhaps he worked with a colleague like her. I do hope she is a real person. So often I read books about 'out of step kids' like Leo and their teachers are totally demonized. I just wanted to meet and hug every one of Leo's teachers and thank them for their kindness. 

Here are some descriptions of Ms Pengari:

"A woman stepped out, wearing a flowery Hawaiian shirt, fluoro yellow boardshorts and a pair of slippers. She had rainbow zinc stiped across her face and she wore a big floppy hat and sunglasses."

"She wore a back witch's hat and carried a plastic wand, ready for the next lesson about the magic of measurement."

"She wore and eyepatch and a pirate hat and waved a plastic sword. 'Yarrrr! What's taking ye so long? we're about to set sail to the land of fractions."    

"She wore a pair of pilot's goggles strapped to her head - they were supposed to be flying to the twin islands of Area and Perimeter ..."

I am sure you know the expression show don't tell - there are two utterly wonderful examples of this in Leo and Ralph - one has to do with Leo's friend Gus and the other is something his mother says close to the end of the book - a precious moment of connection that is sure to make you smile.

Leo and Ralph will arrive in schools over the coming weeks. It is a title that has been included in several standing order selections.

If you read this book with an older reader (say 10+) try to find The Watertower by Gary Crew - I had the illustrations in this book in my mind when Leo saw the strange water tower in his new town of Dundle. 

I do really enjoy books about imaginary friends. My all-time favourite is O'Diddy but it is a very old book and long long out of print sadly.

I would also pair this book with The Year of Billy Miller and A boy called Bat. For older readers I also suggest Things seen from Above and Sunshine by Marion Dane Bauer. Also look for Crenshaw.

Here are the two other junior novels by Peter Carnavas - every Primary school library in Australia (and beyond) should also add these to their library collection.

My Brother Ben

The Elephant

October, October by Katya Balen illustrated by Angela Harding

Have you (adult readers) seen the movie Captain Fantastic?  This book echoes that plot with October and her dad in a remote forest "off the grid".  October does have a mother but she could not cope with life in the wilderness and so she leaves when October is quite small and heads back to live in the city.

Here is the blurb: 

"October and her dad live in the woods. They are WILD. They only need the trees and the lake and the stars and each other. Until the year October turns eleven. The year everything changes.That’s the year October rescues a baby owl. It’s the year Dad falls out of the biggest tree in their woods. The year the woman who calls herself October’s mother comes back. The year everything changes.

Written in Katya Balen’s heart-stoppingly beautiful style, this book is a feast for the senses, filled with the woodsmoke smell of crisp autumn mornings and the sound of wellies squelching in river mud. And, as October fights to find the space to be wild in the whirling chaos of the world beyond the woods, it is also a feast for the soul."

October is filled with anger that her mother left the family. She refuses to even open the regular letters sent by her mother. On the day of her eleventh birthday when her mother comes to visit (this has happened before) October is determined not to see her. October climbs a high tree. Her father tries to get her down and there is a terrible accident. October cannot be left on her own in the woods and her father will be in the hospital for many months so October is forced to move to the city to live with her estranged mother. Adjusting to this new relationship; the lights, noises and crowds of the city; and coping with going to school each day is almost too much for October. She does have a tiny owl baby as a companion but then little Stig is taken away to an animal rescue centre and it feels as though her world is crashing all around her. Over the year we watch October grow and change from an incredibly angry girl into a girl who can make new friends and into someone who can adjust to change. Thank goodness for that all important happy ending.

Take a look at the beautiful art by Angel Harding. I do love the cover of this book and the small lino cuts inside. In this video Katya Balen reads an extract from her book. Here is a UK Podcast where Katya talks about her book.

Louisa May Pickett the most boring person in class by Rod Clement

Do you call it news? Do you call it Show and Tell? I'm talking about the time in the school day, usually in the morning, when members of a class take turns to talk about something or to show something precious to their friends. Teachers are always looking for ways to make these sessions more interesting. For some curious reason children do love Show and Tell but oddly they worry about performing for public speaking. These two activities are quite closely linked.  Show and Tell feels like a good way to prepare for public speaking.

Louisa May has been a champion at Show and Tell for the last three years but now she has moved to a new school - Bobbin Head Primary.  A little note to readers in Sydney, Australia - there really is a place called Bobbin Head but sadly there is no Primary school there.  It is a beautiful bush suburb. For her first Show and Tell Louisa takes along a sabre-toothed Tiger skull.

"I think I should start nice and slowly.
I don't want to look like a show-off ... well not on my first day."

There is a shock coming. Her skull is 'beaten' by the head of a Tyrannosaurus Rex bought in by Jake.  The pattern is established. Each day Louisa brings something amazing only to be gazumped by another kid in her class.  Here is a list to show how this works:

Louisa
Juggling mouse
Ruby
Tap dancing and singing rat

Louisa
Complete samurai suit
Anthony
Warrior troll outfit

Louisa
Meat-eating plant
Reginald
Black rhino - he eats her plant

She even has a talking chair that recites the complete works of Shakespeare, solider ants dressed as soldiers and an Eiffel Tower made from match sticks. But each and every time another student presents something bigger, or better or more amazing.  By May 3rd she admits defeat. She stand in front of the class and explains:

"My name is Louisa May Pickett
and I have nothing to show you and nothing to tell.
I did nothing all week.
I stayed at home with my parents.
I ate.
I slept.
I sat around and
thought about ... nothing.

And you know what?
I loved every minute 
of it!"

This is such a funny book and it is a good way to explore the concept of:

one-upmanship

I work with a small group of girls in a local school and their teacher would like them to participate in the NSW Premier's Reading Challenge this year.  I am not sure if this is the right project for these girls who all find reading very difficult but they are keen to participate and reach their goal of reading twenty books. Luckily the challenge does allow for special needs students to read books from a different book list. These girls are in Grade 5 but I am sourcing books for them from the Grade 3 and 4 lists. I shared Louisa May Pickett with them last week when we were looking at a range of possible titles to begin the challenge.

Louisa May Pickett was published in 2005 and since that time it has been given a new cover and a new title! I wonder if there was an issue with the word 'boring'? The good news is you can still purchase this book.

If you want to follow up this topic of class news try to find this terrific read aloud title -  Gooney Bird Green. Your school library might also have Whoppers by Moya Simons and the sequel Even Bigger Whoppers from the Aussie Bites series.  Here are a some other picture books about Show and Tell. Read my review of The Frank Show.

After you read Louisa May Pickett you might like to pick up an earlier book by Rod Clement - Just another Ordinary Day.  It has a similar tone and theme.  You could then read other books by Rod Clement such as Edward the Emu.  You can listen to an sample of Edward the Emu here. It is one of Rod's most famous books.

The Little Wave by Pip Harry

"Thank you for coming to our Surf's Up movie night

to raise money to pay for Mullin Primary

to come and visit us in Manly ... "

The setting for The Little Wave is in my part of Sydney. I read so many books set in different parts of USA and UK and so it was such a surprise to discover a book set in Manly, Curl Curl and even Narrabeen. I am so appreciative to Beachside Bookshop in Avalon for sharing this book with me. It will certainly appeal to their local readers but I also think it will appeal to other readers here in Australia and beyond.

Image source: https://www.manlyaustralia.com.au/images/maps/ManlyNorthernBeachesMap.gif

There are three voices in this book - Noah, Lottie and Jack.

Noah 
Lives on the Northern Beaches of Sydney
He goes to St Teresa's school in Manly
Loves to surf
He is an only child and perhaps a little over protected by his mum
Noah has to endure a bully who purports to be his 'best friend' but now that the teacher has assigned him a project with Lottie things are about to change

"Sometimes I wonder
why I'm still friends
with a bully
and why I can't 
stand up to him
when he says
mean things.

Why am I such a coward
when he's around?"

Lottie
Lives on the Northern Beaches of Sydney
She goes to St Teresa's school in Manly
Loves insects
Her mum has died and her dad is not coping. Their house is filled with junk and more seems to be added each day. Lottie wants to help her dad but she does not know how
At school Lottie is a loner but now that the teacher has assigned her a project with Noah things are about to change

"I don't think we need boxes
crammed in every room
or faded magazines from the 90s,
three broken microwaves,
two old fridges,
four rusty kitchen sinks,
or an oven jammed with books.

I'd really like to 
have a friend over one day.
If I had any friends."

Jack 
Lives in Mullin, a small NSW country town with a population of 3300
Loves cricket not school
Home is with his sister Kirra and their mum but life is hard and mum is always working and sometimes there is not enough food. When mum goes away and things get even harder for Jack
His class have plans to go to Sydney to visit Manly and meet the kids from St Teresa's
Jack wants to meet his pen pal Noah but to do this he will have to get to school on time every day and complete his work

"I never had a 
bronze star.
No certificate,
or standing on stage
shaking Mrs Jepson's hand."

This book was only  published YESTERDAY! I loved reading The Little Wave. I read it all in one sitting and parts made me cry.

The Little wave is a verse novel and as you know I love to read verse novels especially when, like this one, they have a huge emotional punch. There are some big themes in this book such as grief, bullying and new friendships but all are handled with skill and a light touch. It was also great to read this book after The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary which I read last week. The Little Wave has just three voices which makes it so much easier to navigate than the 18 in The Last Fifth Grade. This new book deserves to be part of the CBCA Notables list for 2020. I do hope I am right with this prediction. It will be added to many school library collections as this book has been included with several standing order services.

One more thing to note. If you are looking for a book that will appeal to a keen surfer The Little Wave is perfect. I felt as though I was riding the waves with Noah. The scenes when Jack is learning to surf are also just right.

"They push me onto a little wave,
which doesn't feel so little when
it lifts up my board and takes me
for a sweet ride.

I cling to the board,
lying flat on my front,
water rushing past me,
so fast!

I try to stand up,
but my board does a 
roll-over
and flips me off.

WIPE OUT!"

In her blog post Pip Harry talks about her ideas for this book.  The cover by Sophie Beer is also perfect.  If you want to explore other excellent Australian verse novels take a look at Farm Kid by Sherryl Clark, Motormouth by Sherryl Clark, Bully on the bus by Kathryn Appel and Too Many friends also by Kathryn Appel.

The Junkyard wonders by Patricia Polacco

"Mrs Peterson showed us how to shine."

"In my old school ... all the kids knew that I had just learned to read ... that I used to be dumb. Everyone knew that I was always in special classes."

Sadly Trisha finds herself in the special class in her new school and even worse this class is called The Junkyard.  Luckily this class has the  best teacher!  Her name is Mrs Peterson and she looks at her class and sees a group of wonderful individuals.

Genius is neither learned not acquired.
It is knowing without experience.
It is risking without fear of failure.
...
It is imagination without boundaries.
It is creativity with out constraints.

The class form tribes.  I love the way this is done using scents - vanilla, almond, lemon and cinnamon. The talents of each child emerges.  Jody loves poetry, Gibbie loved to building things, Thom made everyone laugh and Trisha can draw. Mrs Peterson tells them the junkyard is a place "full of wondrous possibilities! What some see as bent and broken throwaways are actually amazing things waiting to be made into something new. Something unexpected. Something surprising."

The Vanilla team find an old wrecked model airplane and so their project begins - to get this plane into the air and make it fly to the moon.  They raise money for a motor and prepare for the school science fair.  There are obstacles of course.  Some of them seem insurmountable and totally unfair but this tribe keep persevering right up to the big launch day.

If the ending does not move you to tears the final page will.  Here you can read that this book was inspired by a real class of wonders and a real teacher called Mrs Peterson and yes the author Patricia was in her class.

This is a truly special and important book which I would like to share with all senior classes.  We have purchased this book to support a class unit on the book Wonder and it seems to be the perfect partner.  Take a look at Patricia Polacco's web site.  She is the author of 115 books!  You can see some books below which also feature wonderful teachers like Mrs Peterson.

• Teaching activities
• Trailer
• Vocabulary ideas
• Publisher notes and discussion questions