Fourth Grade Rats

by Jerry Spinelli

Other authorsPaul Casale (Illustrator)

Unbound paper, 1991

Status

Available

Call number

Fic

Genres

All Topics

Fiction

Collection

YA Salon

Publication

New York : Scholastic, c1991.

Description

Suds learns that his best friend is wrong. You don't have to be a tough guy, a "rat," to be a grown up fourth grader.

User reviews

LibraryThing member agwood

This is about a young boy who does not want to enter fourth grade and become a rat. He is very happy being an angle doing what his mother tells him, not eating real meat, and still being nice to children on the playground. But his best friend is so excited about being a rat he enjoys every minute

of his new attitude.

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LibraryThing member crazy4reading

A cute story about starting 4th grade. There is a school chant about the grades and 4th graders are considered rats. Suds doesn't want to become a rat. He wants to stay a third grade angel. His best friend takes being a rat seriously.

LibraryThing member lalfonso

This book is funny. Two friends, Joey and Suds, get to 4th grade and Joey decides that they need to change. He becomes a tough guy and convinces Suds that he needs to toughen up too. He is after all a fourth grade rat. I read this book with fourth graders. They really enjoy the humor of the book.

The story is fast passed and not so lengthy that it overwhelms a 9 year old. This book would appeal to 3rd – 5th graders. It could lead to a class discussion about the importance of developing your own opinions, being a leader not a follower, and having self-determination.

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LibraryThing member Sulick1

I liked this book for several reasons. First, the illustrations made it a great transitional chapter book. There were about 4 or 5 whole page illustrations throughout the book that depicted certain scenes going on. Even though the pictures were only in black and white, the detail in the pictures

showed the emotion of what the character was going through at that moment in time. Additionally, each of the chapters in the book were no more than 10 pages, so it makes for an easy read and transition from regular picture books. Students who have never read a chapter book before are able to read a few chapters a night and not be too overwhelmed. Another reason I liked this book was because it is very relatable to students who would be reading the book. The main character is in fourth grade and is grappling with peer pressure and the need to conform to what his peers expect of him. This is very relatable to what is going on for readers and would be engaging to them as they discover how he handles peer pressure. These relatable scenes are conveyed very well in the writing. For example, on page 37 the author writes about Suds (the main character) not wanting his crush to know who he is: “ ‘My face was burning. Tell her. Don’t tell her. Tell her. Don’t tell her.’… I was ready to faint. I wanted to crawl under the nearest car.” The thought process and dialogue between the characters resembles that of an upper-elementary grade student and would be very intriguing to readers. Finally, the story ends with the main character realizing that it is most important to be who you want to be and that no one can tell you otherwise. This pushes readers to consider peer pressure as negative and to value their own unique personalities. The message of this story is that true friends like you for who you are.

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LibraryThing member benuathanasia

The illustrations are dated, though the story is still applicable to modern students. I don't feel as though the story's "moral" was as blatant as needed by younger children. The main character's rehabilitation seems forced and not genuinely earned or felt.

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