Calvin Coconut: Trouble Magnet

This book is a 2010 Bluebonnett Book

Summary: This story is about an irresponsible nine year old boy. Starting fourth grade he manages to get in a food fight and let a centipede escape into the classroom the first day of school. He learns that his family will be having a guest stay with them, a snotty, sixteen year old girl from Texas named Stella. Because of this Calvin will be moving out of his room into the storage closet in the garage. When a sixth grader threatens to beat him up Calvin thinks of a clever way to get him off his back. This is a fun book for young boys and girls.

Personal Reaction: This is a great book for young readers. It has a simple writing style that is easy to read. There are small illustrations thrown in as well. Was it a favorite of mine? Not really. I can see how younger kids would actually have laugh out loud moments when they read it like when Calvin gets pulled into the surf on a wakeboard, but it is definately a chapter book for grades 2-4 and could easily be used as a read aloud book. The story takes place in Hawaii and the kids in the book are very diverse. It's got muliculture going on for sure. The new boy in class is introduced as "blond, a haole, a white boy." This is to eventually become a series that I think will catch on quick.

Salisbury, G. (2009). Calvin Coconut: trouble magnet. New York: Wendy Lamb Books.