ok, my son's second grade teacher read this to his class, and when he told me this, I read it. THIS WAS NOT FOR 7 YEAR OLDS! Parents, it was a good story but James didn't understand it. At least it told him he could do anything he set his mind too.

This book was the first book I read by the author, Andrew Clements and right away I thought this man was a great author. The story is about a boy that makes up a word that was to subsitute the word pen. The story is quite amusing and full of humor as some problems come to the boy such as getting detetion for making others say it as well. But at the end he gets his new word into the Webster's dictionary with the help of his strict grammar teacher that used to not like his new word at all.

So does my 8 year old!

As a teacher, I see more and more of my students NOT knowing how to use a dictionary. Since the onslaught of technology, kids can Google anything. This is an excellcent book for teaching kids the value of the spoken word and for standing up for what they believe in. Enjoy!