Review: Attack of the Chicken Nugget Man A National Test Prep Adventure by Kumar R. Sathy

SUMMARY FROM NETGALLEY.COM:

This laugh-out-loud children's book is aligned with the new Common Core State Standards. It covers 2nd - 5th grade English Language Arts and Mathematics. Attack of the Chicken Nugget Man: A National Test Prep Adventure is a hilarious story that teaches and references curriculum concepts that students in all states need to learn!
This breakthrough educational book tells the story of a struggling third-grader (Chris Robb) who desperately wants to pass a standardized test. Chris's school is a crazy place and his teacher has the strangest name he has ever heard: Ms. Bubblebrain. Every character in the book has a unique personality trait. Smelly Sam stuffs random objects up his nose (sushi, socks, etc), the bus driver waves around his stinky shoe to get the kids to settle down, and the principal harbors an incomprehensible infatuation with strawberry milk. Meanwhile, rumor has it that a mysterious Chicken Nugget Man has been sneaking into schools and causing all kinds of chaos. A task force is created to capture the Chicken Nugget Man. The country's smartest children will be chosen to join the effort because for some reason, no adult has ever seen the Chicken Nugget Man. Chris, who can barely remember his teacher's name, has the odds stacked against him when it comes to passing the big test, but as the reader discovers, he might have a little help, and a little hope, after all.
The book has built-in Bloom's Taxonomy critical thinking comprehension questions and silly versions of standardized test prep questions that are written in kid-friendly language. Open-ended questions, creative writing prompts, and drawing activities are included for all kinds of learners. A strong emphasis is placed on character education and every time a character makes a poor choice, the narrator reminds readers of the consequences, encouraging them to suggest more responsible choices.
This delightful work of humorous fiction makes learning fun and helps students in all states prepare for standardized tests. It's great for fourth and fifth grade remediation, gifted second graders, after school tutoring, read-aloud, literature circles, family reading nights, and guided reading.

MY TAKE:
I'm always interested in children's books that both entertain and help kids learn.

In Attack of the Chicken Nugget Man, Chris is a young boy who just can't seem to remember anything at school. With a standardized test coming up, how is he ever going to pass the test? And what is up with the mysterious Chicken Nugget Man?

As I was reading the first few chapters, I wasn't too impressed with what I was reading. The story is a little bit nutty and unlikely. The idea of the Chicken Nugget Man also wasn't explained. I thought it was a man dressed as a chicken nugget. As it turns out, the Chicken Nugget Man is actually a sentient chicken nugget.

However, as I continued reading and the story started to come together, the book actually wasn't too bad. Each chapter was short, like what you would actually find in a standardized test, and it had a short quiz after each chapter. There were also little drawings, representing underlined words, and knowledge nuggets that add a little more interactivity to the chapter.

Thanks to NetGalley and Smith Publicity for the e-ARC. Publication date of Attack of the Chicken Nugget Man is on March 1, 2013.

THE GOOD:

1. It's a great way to help kids get comfortable with standardized tests.
2. The knowledge nuggets help kids with additional concepts that might come up in standardized tests.
3. The drawings can help kids associate the things with what it's called.

THE BAD:

1. The book may take awhile to make sense.

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

"Well, shake my pepper and buy me a snake cake," Ms. Bubblebrain said.

READ IT IF:

1. Your child will be answering standardized tests soon.
2. Your child is having difficulty learning at school.
3. Your child is just starting elementary school.

RATING:


SOUNDS INTERESTING?