Miss Malarkey Leaves No Reader Behind
written by Judy Finchler and Kevin O'Malley
illustrated by Kevin O'Malley
Bibliography
Finchler, J., & O'Malley, K. (2006). Miss Malarkey leaves no reader behind.
Brief Summary
Written in first person, the story’s narrator explains how his teacher Miss Malarkey attempts to lure him into the Everybody Reads in America program by dangling one book after another to get him hooked. His school principal Mr. Wiggins even promises to dye his hair purple and spend the night on the school’s roof if the students read at least 1000 books by the end of the school year! However, this young boy doesn’t like to read. He and his friends like to spend all their free time engaged in video games. Miss Malarkey tries her best to offer just the right bait – books containing jokes, poetry, fantasy, explorers, and even scary stories. One by one, the boy’s friends fall prey to Miss Malarkey’s suggestions, but not him! She finally ensnares him with a book containing aliens, race cars, funny jokes, chewing gum, hot sauce, and cannonballs – all his favorite things! Mr. Wiggins ends up spending the night on the roof of the school, purple hair and all!
My Impressions
The illustrations in the book literally pulled me into the story! The storyline is so craftily put together with the young boy’s friends finally being enticed to read, one by one, until he is reading under the covers after lights out at night as well!
Reviews
"Expressive cartoon-style illustrations, brightened with markers and colored pencils, create a series of lively scenes in speech balloons record conversations and comments not found in the text. With an unstated moral, this is one volume that librarians won't soon forget."
-- Booklist (July 1, 2006)
Carolyn Phelan Copyright 2006 Booklist
"This title will resonate with those who choose math, video games, and sports over books. O'Malley's illustrations, done in markers and colored pencils, enhance the text with expressive pictures of the students and their teacher as they explore (or choose not to explore) the joys of reading. The illustrations lend humor and credibility to the reluctance of some of the students. A must-have for all libraries."
-- School Library Journal (August 1, 2006)
Rebecca Sheriden, Easttown Library & Information Center, Berwyn, PA Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information
Suggestions for Library Use
This book would make a great addition to school libraries! It’s so common for young boys to be reluctant readers. Introducing them to this story is a step in the right direction. It would be a great read for the elementary classroom as well!
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