There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom by Louis Sachar is a book I have always enjoyed reading to my students. I have taught 4th Grade forever so 4th graders are my intended audience. This story evokes strong emotion in the reader. Some parts make you laugh outloud, while others are so touching you want to cry. Every year when I read the last 4 or 5 chapters, I have trouble reading without crying. There’s a Boy in the Girls’ Bathroom is about a boy, Bradley Chalkers with serious behavior and school issues. He has no friends except his toy animal friends at home. Everyone hates him, and he hates everyone. He spends his time in class cutting paper into little squares, never listening. A counselor comes to his school and changes his life. She likes him as a person so he learns to like himself.
When reading this book, students might discuss topics such as how all of us can improve in anything if we set our mind to it and use the support we do have in school, starting with me, the teacher. Some guiding questions to discuss the book would be; what are some things that you could do to help a classmate who is struggling?, how do you feel when you don’t understand something?, create a list of things to do when we feel lost in class? Some extension activities to consider for this book would be to talk about Character analysis: Bradley changes through the book from an unhappy misfit to a happy boy with lots of friends who is successful in school. Inference: Bradley is reading a book for a book report. The book is about a boy whose parents are accused of stealing an elephant from the circus. My students infer from the clues in the story whether they did steal the elephant or not. Writing: Students can write a personal narrative about someone who has made a significant difference in their life. Vocabulary development: There are a lot of good, high level vocabulary words throughout the story.
--R.Wells
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