A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever
By Dawn Friedman,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Giggles abound in friendship-focused read-aloud.
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What's the Story?
James and Eamon experience a week of pure bliss while visiting Eamon's grandparents.
Is It Any Good?
The book is full of moments that kids will appreciate as James and Eamon spend a week together with Eamon's grandparents. 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). Especially kids who have been lovingly spoiled by grandparents will love details 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.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
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.
Book Details
- Author: Marla Frazee
- Illustrator: Marla Frazee
- Genre: Picture Book
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Harcourt
- Publication date: March 1, 2008
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 4 - 7
- Number of pages: 40
- Last updated: July 12, 2017
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