42
ReviewsThe Genius Under the Table: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain
by Eugene Yelchin
in: Biography Nonfiction
The Boy Who Failed Show and Tell
Jordan dreams of becoming a hero, but the Wicked Witch of the West, aka Mrs. Fisher, is sure that he will never amount to anything. Luckily he’s got Hector the snake in his corner…
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What the Book Is About
Jewish Content & Values
Content Advisory
What the Book Is About
Popular children’s book author Jordan Sonnenblick provides an often-hilarious account of his year as a “shrimpy, nervous fourth grader” on Staten Island in the late 1970s. Also included are flashbacks to formative moments from his younger years, including teaching himself to swim at the local Jewish Community Center. Funny and anecdotal, the book includes lots of sports, drum lessons, fun pranks, and the various adventures of his pet garter snake. Amusing illustrations match the tone of this entertaining memoir about a kid who finds hope and humor even when life in fourth grade isn’t easy.
Jewish Content & Values
- Jordan has attended preschool, swim lessons, day camp, and after school programs at the local Jewish Community Center.
- A family bar mitzvah is mentioned, as are Passover and Hanukkah. Jordan acts as the rabbi and performs a Jewish wedding for two snakes.
Content Advisory
Jordan suffers from undiagnosed anxiety-induced trichotillomania. Worries include his parents’ frequent arguments, the deaths of his pet snake’s babies, the Three Mile Island accident, and his father’s brief but unnerving cancer scare. At one point Jordan’s teacher slaps his face. Despite Jordan’s worries, the tone of the book is light, and at his new school he has a kind and compassionate teacher (the book is dedicated to her) who helps lessen his anxiety, which ends his hair-pulling.
What the Book Is About
What the Book Is About
Popular children’s book author Jordan Sonnenblick provides an often-hilarious account of his year as a “shrimpy, nervous fourth grader” on Staten Island in the late 1970s. Also included are flashbacks to formative moments from his younger years, including teaching himself to swim at the local Jewish Community Center. Funny and anecdotal, the book includes lots of sports, drum lessons, fun pranks, and the various adventures of his pet garter snake. Amusing illustrations match the tone of this entertaining memoir about a kid who finds hope and humor even when life in fourth grade isn’t easy.
Jewish Content & Values
Jewish Content & Values
- Jordan has attended preschool, swim lessons, day camp, and after school programs at the local Jewish Community Center.
- A family bar mitzvah is mentioned, as are Passover and Hanukkah. Jordan acts as the rabbi and performs a Jewish wedding for two snakes.
Content Advisory
Content Advisory
Jordan suffers from undiagnosed anxiety-induced trichotillomania. Worries include his parents’ frequent arguments, the deaths of his pet snake’s babies, the Three Mile Island accident, and his father’s brief but unnerving cancer scare. At one point Jordan’s teacher slaps his face. Despite Jordan’s worries, the tone of the book is light, and at his new school he has a kind and compassionate teacher (the book is dedicated to her) who helps lessen his anxiety, which ends his hair-pulling.
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