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A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 3, age appropriate for kids over 4; suggested age 4.

  • Is it any good?

    4.0
  • Common Sense says

    Giggles abound in friendship-focused read-aloud.

Why We Rated This on for Ages 4 and Up

The good stuff

  • Messages:

    Many examples of shared friendship.

What to watch out for

  • Violence & scariness:

    Not an issue.
  • Sexy stuff:

    Not an issue.
  • Language:

    A joke about Grandpa swearing while driving, noted on the page with a series of "$%&*" not words.
  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Not an issue.

What Parents Need to Know

This review of A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever was written by Dawn Friedman

Parents need to know that there's one joke about Grandpa swearing while driving, marked with symbols, not the actual words.

Families Can Talk About

Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
  • Families can talk about their own favorite vacation memories. This book started out as a thank-you letter from the author to friends who took her son on a vacation. Perhaps parents can help their kids write a thank-you book for a special visit or playdate.
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More on A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever

Book Summary

Is It Any Good?

James and Eamon spend a week together with Eamon's grandparents where they stuff themselves with banana waffles, play lots of video games, and wrestle. In other words, the title is no lie (though the outdoorsy-vacation look of the book's cover is a little deceiving). The book is full of moments that kids will appreciate -- especially those who have been lovingly spoiled by grandparents -- from the coffee ice-cream icebergs with hard chocolate sauce to the grandparents' willingness to let James and Eamon set the schedule, even if it means a day full of video games instead of the aquarium trip grandpa suggests.

Balloon dialog humorously belies some of the text, making for some funny juxtapositions. For example, while the story follows that "he had never been away from home for an entire week, so he was very sad when his mother drove away," James is grinning enthusiastically and yelling "BYE!" A terrific story for kids and parents, it's a read-aloud that parents won't mind having to read aloud. Marla Frazee's expressive illustrations showcase the spirit of the busy, indulgent BEST WEEK EVER.

Publisher’s Details

Publisher: Harcourt, Publication date: 03/01/2008
Number of pages: 40, Price: $16 (hardcover)
Read Aloud: 4, Read Alone: 8

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