The Talent Show Paperback – July 24, 2012

As a 3rd grade teacher, I'm always on the lookout for books that will capture young readers. Dan Gutman always does a great job in that department, especially reluctant readers. Kids in my class have become readers reading his "Weird School" series! No, this is not one of them, and if you are looking for AJ and friends in this book, you will be disappointed. It is a higher reading level book than the other series, which I think is the beauty in Dan Gutman's books. I've had many kids who start with the "Weird School" books, who then are looking for the next step up with a familiar author friend."The Talent Show" reminds me of the ensemble sit-com TV shows that are out there as you get to see all of these different characters who are united by the story line (a talent show to earn money after a tornado hit the school). Everyone is working for a common goal. As an aside, our school had a fire this past year, and I see many similarities on how people can come together to unite after an unfortunate situation. Also, as a teacher at a Maryland "Green" School, I still chuckle over the humorous ending (ah, but I can't give it away!). It really makes the book!! I know some people commented about some vocabulary issues...I didn't see that. Plus, even 3rd, 4th, 5th graders benefit from partner reading/reading alouds (it builds listening vocabulary)--many parents forget that and stop reading to children when they're old enough to read to themselves. I most certainly see this as a great book, and can't wait to read it aloud to my 3rd grade classroom because there are some elements I wish to discuss with them!!I think you'd be remiss to dismiss this book!!

Ok book!

My 10 year old son and I have read every book in the "My Weird School" series, and the "My Weird School Daze" series. We LOVE Dan Gutman books. I credit Dan Gutman for instilling a love of reading in my son when he was at a critical point in his reading development. Though we would read for hours a day, picture books were becoming too babyish for him, and he stepped in to chapter books reluctantly. But as soon as we discovered Mr. Gutman's books, my son was hooked on reading again. We would read the books together, always finished the book the same day we got it (how on Earth could you put one down?) and laugh our way through the books, excited about what was going to happen in the next book. So, when I saw this book offered through Vine, I immediately ordered it, hoping it would be the same caliber of writing as all of the other books we have ready by the author. The following review is what my son thought about "The Talent Show".1. He did not think it was a bad book, but he did not think it was a great book either. "So-so" is the word he used to describe how he felt about it. He struggled to finish the book, not due to a lack of time, but interest. I think he got his hopes up when he saw Dan Gutman wrote the book. He expected it would be a funny book like the "Weird School" series, but it was not.2. He liked that the kids thought the idea of doing a talent show to help raise money to rebuild the school after a tornado struck the town was pretty cool. He liked that kids pitched in to help make the town a better place for everyone, despite the disaster that left the town in a shambles.3. Like the magician (boy) in the talent show, my son has a bit of stage fright when he is asked to perform in front of a group of people. He was really happy that the boy overcame his stage freight to be able to perform in the talent show. Score one for the underdog! As he read that part of the story, he said he could totally relate to what the boy was going through. (Major points for adding this to the book from me--maybe this will help my son in the future when he needs to be in front of a group again.)4. He did not like that the "magician" boy hurt his arm in the tornado. He did not like seeing another child get hurt.5. He wished it could have been a funnier book to read, and that it seemed to drag out a little bit too long.And that was about all he had to say about the book. It did not appear to be a very memorable book for him to read, because he had a hard time recounting what he liked about the story to help me write this review. When he likes a book, he can tends to retell the entire story to you if you ask him what he liked about the book. This one did not seem to leave a lasting impression with him, and he struggled to come up with things he thought were interesting, funny, or compelling about the story.I appreciate that Mr. Gutman is targeting a different audience for this type of book (middle readers) than the previous series he has written for younger children, but as readers grow in to an "older" set of books, I think they look to their favorite authors and expect the books to be a certain way, and this one did not follow the typical Dan Gutman format. If your child is a big "Weird School" fan like my son, he may (or may not!) be disappointed by the lack of humor in this book. Check out a copy from the library first to see what the reaction to the book might be. Unlike the "Weird School" series that we read and re-read, this one is going on my son's bookshelf, and I doubt it will be looked at again.

Cape Bluff, Kansas, a working class town located in the heart of Tornado Alley, had a long history of surviving physical and economic devastation. Although the population had dwindled to the most resilient folks, the townspeople were fed up when the latest tornado struck, the worst ever in Cape Bluff's history and the cause of some $34 million worth of damage. Numerous people who could not afford insurance faced total destruction to their homes and cars, businesses suffered extensive damage, and the elementary school library lost all its books. Resiliency, though, took hold once again when the principal suggested they hold a talent show to lift spirits and raise money for the library. The idea caught on quickly, especially when a number of local businesspeople offered free goods and services to support the show's production, including a brand new Hummer for the grand prize. Cape Bluff's student body included a number of budding singers, dancers, musicians, and comedians, virtually all of whom dreamed about shining on stage and bringing home that Hummer. Who would win, and could the show raise the money they needed? The Talent Show offers up an entertaining blend of suspense and adolescent drama as a bunch of talented youngsters go head to head to become the next Cape Bluff Idol. Cleverly intertwined with the story are a number of economics ideas related to class, scarcity, small businesses, and fundraising. The book will likely encourage readers to think about how they could use their own talents to raise money for a good cause.