Brand-new third grader, Chris Anderson, has his whole year mapped out, and it starts with two words: BE NICE! Easy enough, right? Well...
...it seems like it at first. But when Chris and his best friend, Bobby, meet new kid, Kevin, being nice proves harder than Chris thought. Kevin is EVERYTHING Chris trying not to be. He's rude, he's mean... and Bobby seems to like him much better than the new Chris.
Try as he might, Chris cannot get on Kevin's good side, who is now acting like a bully, and has Bobby acting like it too! Once Kevin and Bobby create a top-secret treehouse club in Bobby's backyard and leave Chris out, Chris is left with no other choice.
THIS MEANS WAR!
Brand-new third grader, Chris Anderson, has his whole year mapped out, and it starts with two words: BE NICE! Easy enough, right? Well...
...it seems like it at first. But when Chris and his best friend, Bobby, meet new kid, Kevin, being nice proves harder than Chris thought. Kevin is EVERYTHING Chris trying not to be. He's rude, he's mean... and Bobby seems to like him much better than the new Chris.
Try as he might, Chris cannot get on Kevin's good side, who is now acting like a bully, and has Bobby acting like it too! Once Kevin and Bobby create a top-secret treehouse club in Bobby's backyard and leave Chris out, Chris is left with no other choice.
THIS MEANS WAR!
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It was a sort of hot day in August, but not too hot you couldnât play outside. School was coming up, so eight-year-old Christopher Anderson and his best friend Bobby were trying to make the most of the summer they had left. Much to the dismay of their parents, they launched bottle rockets into the skyâone landed on top of Chrisâs grumpy neighbor, Mr. Laketonâs, car. Chris and Bobby immediately ran back into Chrisâs house. The next day they did it again.
Then there were the water gun fights with other kids on the block. And the secret meetings of the Chris and Bobby club, in Chrisâs treehouse. All they talked about was their schemes, like what kind of trouble theyâd cause at school.
During the summer, they did nutty things like climbing out of the treehouse window and seeing if they could grab onto one of the further branches of the tree. Once Chris fell and broke his leg, and he always bragged that when it happened, he never cried. Eventually that story got old.
Chris and Bobby lived next door to each other, and in the house next to Chris, lived an elderly couple, the Petries. They were nice; they acted like grandparents to every kid on the block. One day, Chris noticed a FOR SALE sign on their front lawn. Then, after a while, it became a SOLD sign. Chris later found out that they were going to move in with their daughter, who lived in the city. It was always a problem when somebody moved away. You never knew who would move in next. It could be the nicest kid in the world or a bunch of loons.Â
Everybody would miss the Petries, and it was sad when they drove away, down the block, and disappeared out of sight. They probably lived in the neighborhood longer than anybody else.
âThey always gave out the best Halloween candy,â Bobby said. Chris nodded in agreement. Then they went back to his house to launch another bottle rocket.
A week later, like magic, there was another moving truck in front of the Petriesâ house. Whenever new people moved in, every kid on the block gathered around on the streets to see who the new family was. If it was just grownups, or a man, woman, and a baby, they got bored, and went back to their business. But this time it was something interesting.
âWho do you think itâll be?â Bobby said when he saw Chris coming out of his house.
âI dunno. You donât think itâll be a movie star, do you?â
âProbably not,â Bobby replied. âWhat if itâs a secret agent?â
Chris shrugged. âIf it was a secret agent they probably wouldnât move in with a big moving truck. Or at least not during the day time. Theyâd probably come at night.â
Bobby nodded and they waited as the men from the moving truck carried out big fancy furniture and were being yelled at, by a man in a business suit, not to drop anything. Then there was a woman who came out of their car, and a boy with spiky brown hair who came out after her. He looked like he could be Chris and Bobbyâs age. They wanted to go over and talk to him, but he disappeared into the house along with the woman, who was probably his mother. It seemed like the furniture in the moving truck was never-ending. Out came more fancy tables and chairs, and a big lamp that looked old but well kept.
âWhat kinda ritzy people are these guys?â Bobby said. Chris agreed. It seemed like whoever this family was, they belonged in a mansion. Not that Chris and Bobbyâs neighborhood wasnât nice, but these new people made it seem like nothing, compared to wherever they probably came from. Â Â
The day after that, Chris heard sawing and and banging sounds coming from the house next door. He woke up early that morning to find two men working in the big oak tree right across from Chrisâs treehouse. Chrisâs first thought was, maybe this new kid is having a treehouse built in his backyard too! That didnât bother Chris one bit, although he was assuming the new boy was copying him. But it might be fun, if they became friends, to have two treehouses across from each other. The ideas were already churning. If they tied a bunch of clothes together and had one kid on either side hold the ends, another kid could climb between them like a makeshift zip line. Or, if this kid was so rich, he could get a real zip line. Â
By this point, school was very soon. Only two days away. One morning, Chrisâs parents sat him down in the living room to have a talk.
âChris,â said his dad.
âChris,â his mom repeated.
Chris slouched on the couch and waited for his mom and dad to get on with it. âYes?â
âYou know that last year, you got in trouble⌠a lot of trouble. Almost all the time,â Chrisâs dad said.
Chris nodded. âYeah.â This didnât bother him at all. âWell, you know, itâs not a good thing to get in trouble,â his mom added. âYour report card from second grade had us worried you might even get held back because of all your shenanigans. Your grades were a bit low, too.âÂ
Chris shrugged. âSo what is it? I mean, what did you  ask me to come down about?â
Chrisâs mother and father shared a glance before turning to him. âWe want you to⌠be nice this year. Please, donât cause any trouble. Itâs not fun going down to your school and hearing about all the tricks you pulled on your teachers. We donât like hearing things like that, because we love you very much. Do you understand?â Chrisâs mom said.
Chris nodded. âOkay.â
Then his dad jumped in. âAnd I want you to know that if you cause any more trouble, there will be problems. There were problems last year, and there will be problems this year if you keep on with this attitude of yours toward your school. We send you there to get an education. Not to have you running wild, sticking wet wads of toilet paper on your classroom ceiling and waiting for them to fall on your teacherâs head.â Chris saw his dad almost break into a smile when he said that. Remembering his second grade teacher, Mrs. Berneâs, reaction when those wads starting dropping on her head made Chris want to burst out laughing too. But he also understood his parents. After all, causing trouble was fun. Getting in trouble was not.
So he agreed and promised heâd try to be nicer this year. It seemed easy enough.Â
Itâs the Kool Peepleâs Klub vs. The Good Guys in this eminently engaging and clever childrenâs book about bullying by Sophia Bella Errico.
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Itâs a hot day in August when eight year-old Christopher Anderson and his best friend, Bobby, settle in for a secret meeting in Chrisâs backyard treehouse. While the two boys are trying to squeeze a few more ounces of fun out of summer before school starts, they notice that one of their elderly neighbors has moved out. When new neighbors move in, they include a boy about their age. His name is Kevin.
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As a new school year looms, Chris is reminded that his attitude toward school and his high-spirited hijinks have landed Chris in trouble with his parents. So he promises to be âniceâ when the new school year rolls around. But thatâs easier said than done. Especially for a rambunctious third grader whose new teacher is âMs. Fizzlebottom.â
And while trying to be âniceâ may work at school and keep Chris out of trouble at home, it doesnât keep Chris from losing his best friend Bobby to âCoolâ Kevin, the new kid. But underneath Kevinâs slick, smooth exterior of âcoolâ lurks a pretty prickly personality. When Kevin turns out to be a bully and he and his gang start picking on Chris, Chris must learn to stand up for himself. Fast.
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When Kevin steals Chrisâ book and denies doing so Chris decides, âThis means warâ â and it could get âinteresting,â especially as both sides start ârecrooting.â
And interesting it is in this highly readable and eminently enjoyable story by Sophia Bella Errico. Itâs a clever, creative, and timely take on the topic of bullying. As the story unfolds, the author gently and expertly guides young readers toward some helpful suggestions and healthy options regarding dealing with a bully. Thereâs also a âlucky baseballâ that suddenly turns up missing.
The positive portrayal of the friendly and helpful policeman whom Chris runs into in the park when trying to escape Kevin and Kevinâs henchman, Gene, is refreshing. So is the positive portrayal of Chrisâs caring and connected parents, particularly his father.
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Thereâs a lot to love about this book. It includes themes of friendship, loyalty, forgiveness, honesty, and courage. Sticking up for yourself and your friends. Also parents who care enough to confront and correct. Â
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Chockful of full-bodied, dynamic characters who learn and grow, The Treehouse is well-written and structural sound. A richly flavored story with a timely message, plenty of action, and age-appropriate vocabulary, the narrative is enhanced by drawings that help propel the story forward. Brisk pacing and a nimble plot will keep young readers engaged and turning pages until the very end.
Scene stealer: Big George. (Just sayinâ.)
As The Treehouse winds down, the door is left open for a sequel. Letâs hope so. Because I canât wait! Iâd grab a copy now âfize you. Cuz this oneâs a winner!