LitPick Review
The New Kid by Mavis Jukes was not the book I thought it would be. The New Kid is about a boy named Carson. He is a new kid at a school named Valley Oak Elementary. It was different from his old school of Rainbow Ridge. For one thing Valley Oak Elementary was a large public school that required students to wear uniforms. His old school was a very small private school that allowed students to wear jeans and T shirts. One interesting thing to Carson was that his new school had a pet rat named, Mr. Nibblenose. At one point in this book Carson loses his beloved stuffed animal Moose at school. Another time he and his classmates plan a camp out but end up having to go inside because of the rain. Another time Carson sets a bird free with a girl from his class and her mom.
Opinion:
If you are looking for adventure or suspense this is not the book for you. This book talks about Carson's relationships with family and friends. This book had no real conflict or problems that needed the character's attention. It had no mysteries that needed to be solved. A lost stuffed animal doesn't count as a mystery. The only part I thought was interesting was when Carson took home the class pet and found out that Mr. Nibblenose really should be named Mrs. Nibblenose. She had pups while Carson had the rat at his home. This book is written for students younger than third grade but it looks like it is for older students because it is a thick book. Students who are just learning to read may not like such a long book. Students who can handle the amount of text won't like the story very much. The only thing that kept me reading was that I thought the book might get better. I was disappointed.
