Second Grade Holdout - by Audrey Vernick (Hardcover)

About the Book

Missing the familiarity of first grade and imagining the impossible tasks assigned by his next teacher, a boy flat-out refuses to start second grade in this hilarious tale of friendship, growing up, and moving on. Full color.

Book Synopsis

Second grade? Pfff! No, thanks.

The comically anxious narrator in this book thought that first grade had its problems, but overall it was pretty awesome. He'll take grade one over grade two any day, thank you very much! Especially because he and Tyler, his best friend, will not be in the same class this school year. On top of that, Tyler's sisters have been feeding the boys a steady stream of rumors about the horrors of second grade. Luckily they catch on that just maybe some of those stories are not one hundred percent true.

Could it be that second grade is not so bad? Find out in this laugh-out-loud story that has more than its fair share of heart.

Review Quotes

"Funny and relatable, this book book will make kids laugh out loud."--The Washington Post "A new look at an age-old fact: change is hard but maybe not as hard as what one might imagine." --Kirkus "Cordell's scraggly cartooning expertly channels the narrator's nervousness (and Tyler's sisters' mischievousness), and although Vernick ends on an encouraging note, she keeps the anxiety-fueled jokes coming until nearly the last page." --Publishers Weekly "Vernick introduces a problem familiar to a certain personality type ("I wish everything could just stay the way it was") and allows readers to recognize, and maybe even laugh at, themselves."--Horn Book "Vernick gives a deft twist of humor to real anxieties about competence, growth, and change, and the sibling dynamic is both authentic and funny... Audiences will be tickled by the narrator's attempted evasion, and they may enjoy coming up with some school whoppers of their own." --Bulletin --

About the Author

Audrey Vernick is the author of many funny picture books, including First Grade Dropout as well as picture book nonfiction and novels. She lives in New Jersey. www.audreyvernick.com.

Matthew Cordell has illustrated many picture books, some of which he also wrote, including the recent and popular Wish. He is the illustrator of First Grade Dropout, and lives outside Chicago. www.matthewcordell.com