Jack's Black Book: A Jack Henry Adventure

So cute - great way to present ideas in writing.

My 9 year old son likes this book. He says it's crazy and weird. They also read it in my daughter's class. She did not enjoy it as much as my son.

Have you ever been to a buffet and didn't know what you want eat?The book is Jack's Black Book, and it is broken into three random topics. Not knowing what you will get or how it's going to turn out. I was told by my 8th grade Language Arts teacher; Mr.Jackson, that it was a pretty good book. I've been reading this book by Jack Gantos and it is very good because I am also a teenager achieving a dream. This book talks about a 13 year-old boy named Jack Henry and his adventures of becoming a famous writer. It all starts out at flunking the IQ test in school and not being able to continue on to Writer's School. He is only allowed to continue onto the writer's school by completing workshop class. Although this book has many humorous quotes and slang it's not actually talking about him becoming a writer. Slowly the book talks about him torturing a hyper dog, building a dog graveyard for school, and finally about his fanatical neighbors. As well as, little topics about going to a Latin club as an excuse to skip detention to making money for his Dad, to prove to him that he can be a writer. Through all of these moments he writes little short entries into his Black Book. "A writer's job is to turn his worst experiences into money" This is Jack Henry's motto and probably is true because his life is filled with worst experiences imagined. If you like school yard kinds of books this is your one.

"Then the odor of rotting BeauBeau hit me, I could feel my face contorting as if someone were trying to rip it off, and I began to gag." This quote is from Jack's Black Book. This a story about a young boy, Jack Henry, who wants to become a writer, but when he takes the IQ test it says that he is not smart enough to do anything but manual labor. The book tells all about what kind of troubles and adventures he gets into over the summer, and never giving up on his dream of becoming a writer. Jack Gantos also writes other stories about fictional events, however his tales about Jack Henry are all true events that happened to him during his childhood. He also writes children's books. Some of his other books include tales of Joey Pigza. My recommendation for this book is for anyone who has a sense of humor and needs a good laugh, but isn't too light at the stomach. Girls or boys would enjoy this book. Probably this would be more organized under children's literature. Personally, this is one of the best books I've ever read.

As the Kirkus Review says this humorous book may be a bit over the top. Jack certainly gets into some amusing events, including causing the death of the dog, burying and then digging up the dog, trying to get a date with a girl, meeting a gangster on the beach, helping his brother who is pretending to be blind, make money, and staying at home alone with his older sister while the parents are away for about two weeks. There are laugh aloud parts, and the gross humor will certainly appeal to children, but scenes such as the one where a old friend is lighting matches and throwing them into gasoline until finally there is an explosion, make me wonder if this is a book we want to recommend to children.

A seventh-grade male, Jack, encounters many obstacles when he tries to succeed in school and write his own novel. Jack's family and teachers do not believe he can do well in anything that requires brains. Continually Jack tries to turn the tough situations he faces into material for an award-winning book. When Jack tries to meet a girl, you'll laugh, when he describes his moments with his silly dog, Beau-Beau III, you'll laugh harder, and when he meets an escaped convict, you'll laugh even harder and louder! This novel shows how Jack, although lonely, and without anyone's support, can still achieve his dreams.

I have read this book to my students (sixth grade) for two years now and each group has overwhelmingly loved it! They enjoy Jack's humor, his follies, and most of all his tell-all style of portraying the middle grade age.

I loved the book "Jack's Black Book" It was kind of hard to get into, but onece I did I was glad that I had. The humor in tis book is the best ever! I really liked the book, I realize that it is not for everyone. (sorta nasty)