Sunday 26 February 2023

Jake Drake, Class Clown - Andrew Clements - Jake Drake Book 4

Jake Drake, Class Clown
Jake Drake Book 4
Andrew Clements
ISBN 9781416949121
eISBN 9781442462335
ASIN B007108PA4


This is the fourth and final book in the Jake Drake Series that we have read. The books seem to have two or even three different order lists. I am uncertain if one is publishing order and the other chronological? But this one is consistently listed as book 4. Much as Narnia was reordered in some editions. So I am really not sure what order the books belong in. But no matter what order you read them in they are great fun. 

When I started reading this series I thought Jake Drake, Bully Buster was book 1. I enjoyed that book so much I mentioned it to my son, and he has since read to me both Jake Drake, Bully Buster in short order has read the rest of the series to me. My son is in grade 9, and yes, these books are below his reading level. But he has been dealing with some serious bullying for a number of years now. Most of it instigated by the same ring leader, a boy that would give Link Baxter, Super Bully, more than a run for his money. My son loved the first story he read and asked if we could read all four together, even though the other Jake Drake books do not deal with bullying, we have loved reading these books together.

Six years ago, I discovered the works of Andrew Clements. I was instantly hooked and have now read almost 26 books from his masterful pen. Many consider him the ‘master of school stories’, and I would agree. I have a dual form of dyslexia and did not learn to read until after grade 7. So I never read ‘school stories’ when I was young. That combined with having my own school aged children has instilled a great appreciation for the genre and specifically for the works of Andrew Clements. Clements passed away in 2019 his last novel was The Friendship War, which is another excellent volume. He wrote amazing stories for children, but they are also stories that any of us can learn from. Back then I set the goal of reading all of his works, but as my own children have outgrown these books and they had slid by the wayside. I have now returned to them yet again. I have read 1 a week over the last several weeks and plan to do so for a while yet.

This is another great read in a fantastic series. These are books I wish we had read with my son years ago. It is another excellent read. The description of this book is:

“Miss Bruce is the new student teacher in second grade, and she never smiles. Never. But when Jake cracks up the class during a spelling bee, he sees the tiniest hint of a smile at the corner of her mouth. Suddenly, Jake has a new mission in life: to be so funny that even Miss Bruce will laugh!

     But then things get out of hand, and Jake finds himself in big trouble. Has Jake discovered -- too late -- that not everybody loves a clown?”

The chapters in this volume are:

New Boss
Scared Stiff
Scared Silly
Secret Information
Unstoppable
Mr. Funny Bone
Christmas in April
Judge Brattle
No More Clowning

Jake has a new teacher, actually a student teacher. And she is very by the book. She is following what she learned in school, and is afraid of losing control of the class. Because of that she comes across as harsh, mean and even hurtful. Jake tells a joke in class and the students react. And seems to lighten the mood. So Jake starts trying to figure out how to be funny in class. And it is a fine line between a funny guy and a smart Alec, and Jake might just cross it and things go from funny to sad and serious. Can he help undo the mess he has made? To find out how and if Jake can make amends you will need to read this terribly fun little story.

This is a great offering from the masterful pen of Andrew Clements. This is a wonderful early chapter book, for Middle Grade Readers. It is an excellent read for young readers, and for those of us who just love a great story! It will leave you wondering might have happened in further Jake Drake adventures.  

Books by Andrew Clements:
Bird Adalbert
Noah and the Ark and the Animals
Santa's Secret Helper
Temple Cat
Mother Earth's Counting Book
Billy and the Bad Teacher
Who Owns the Cow
Bright Christmas: An Angel Remembers
Frindle 
(Adapter)Philipp's Birthday Book
Riff's BeBop Book
Real Monsters Go for the Mold
Things That Go EEK on Halloween
Real Monsters Stage Fright
Music Time, Any Time
Double Trouble in Walla Walla
Workshop
Gromble's Haunted Halloween
Hey Dad, Could I Borrow Your Hammer
The Landry News
Look Who's in the Thanksgiving Play
The Mouse Family
The Janitor's Boy
Circus Family Dog
The Christmas Kitten
The School Story
Things Not Seen 
The Jacket 
A Week in the Woods
Slippers at Home
Naptime for Slippers
The Report Card
The Last Holiday Concert
Slippers at School
Slippers Loves to Run
A Million Is a Lot of Dots
Lunch Money
Things Hoped For
Room One: A Mystery or Two
No Talking
Things That Are
Lost and Found
Extra Credit
Troublemaker
About Average
The Map Trap
The Friendship War
The Losers Club
...

Pets to the Rescue Series
Ringo Saves the Day!
Brave Norman
Tara and Tiree, Fearless Friends
Delores and the Big Fire

Jake Drake Series
Jake Drake Know-It-All
Jake Drake, Bully Buster
Jake Drake, Teacher's Pet
Jake Drake, Class Clown

Benjamin Pratt and the Keepers of the School Series
We the Children
Fear Itself
The Whites of Their Eyes
In Harm's Way
We Hold These Truths

Reading Program Books
Karen's Island
Three Wishes for Buster
Bill Picket: An American Original, Texas Style
Hurricane Andrew
Ham and Eggs for Jack
Life in the Desert
Desert Treasure
Inventors: Making Things Better, Steck-Vaughn
Milo's Great Invention
...












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