Module 7: There's A Boy In The Girl's Bathroom

Book Cover:

Book Summary: Bradley Chalkers is the bully everyone hates.  He already repeated 4th grade and is on track to repeat 5th.  He doesn't care about what others think, and can't stand to apply himself in school.  That is until Jeff Fishkin, the new kid in Bradley's class, and the new school counselor, Carla, come into Bradley's life.  The respect Carla shows Bradley eventually transforms his attitude and self image.  Jeff's friendship and Carla's motivation help Bradley on his road to help himself.

APA Reference:

Sacher, L. (1987). There's a boy in the girls bathroom. New York, NY: Random House                  Children's Books.

Impressions: This story seemed like the quintessential teenage angst novel.  That is not to say it wasn't well written or unoriginal.  The character of Bradley Chalkers is a classic lost young man who has potential that simply must be unlocked by the right key.  The key being people who talk with him, treat him with respect, and help him improve his self image.  My impression is that this book is a very approachable to young readers.  It can make a real connection with kids who are going through a very awkward and hormonal phase.  This story is so relatable not only to children who connect with Bradley, but also kids who relate to Bradley's victims.  The story can help any adolescent understand the complex social construct that rules the pre-teen years.  Appropriately, the story starts during Bradley's decline, but then he receives help from his counselor to eventually function properly without his counselor.  Sacher's language and mood really seem capture the emotion of a fifth grade boy.

Professional Review: "This book was humorous and was really interesing.  My partner and I thought that this book would be boring but the first page was very weird.  Some charaters that are in the obok are Bradley, Jeff, Carla, and Colleen and back up girls Lori and Melinda.  Bradley is the oldest kid in the fifth grade and tells enormous lies.  No one likes Bradley except the new school counselor Carla.  she thinks Bradley is sensitive and generous, and even enjoys his out of the world stories.  She’s the only one who thinks Bradley can change if he wasn’t so scared to.  In the end Bradley gets invited to a irthday party and starts to be nice and do his homework.  He was the new Bradley and now no one could change him."

Anthony-Bey, J. (n.d.). Lion's lair - there’s a boy in the girls’ bathroom by Louis Sachar.                      Retrieved from http://mathnut.edublogs.org/student-book-reviews/theres-a-                        boy-in-the-girls-bathroom-by-louis-sachar/

Library Use:  Take the theme of bullying and approach this topic with students giving them tools on dealing with bullies.  Give the children all available options regarding not only bullies, but generally strained interpersonal relationships.