photo by Paul Mannix www.flickr.com
*Middle-grade contemporary novel
*Fourth-grade boy as main character
*Rating: Two hysterical authors, Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver, write a truly funny novel that boys (and girls, too) will love!
Short, short summary: The first book in the Hank Zipzer series, Niagara Falls or Does It? introduces us to underachiever Hank Zipzer. Hank is starting school–fourth grade–and he just so happens to get Ms. Adolf instead of the cool teacher. She wants the class to write a 5-paragraph essay, and Hank can’t think of anything worse to do. In the meantime, he and his friends form a magic act and practice for their first gig at the bowling alley. When his parents find out he has to write the essay, it cuts into his rehearsal time, and so Hank decides to build a living essay–a model of Niagara Falls like no one has ever seen before. He has a lot to say about the Falls and his family’s trip there, but he just can’t seem to get it from his head to the paper. He is super excited about his project until the flood gates open–literally. Join Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver for a great start to a funny series, Hank Zipzer: The Mostly True Confessions of the World’s Best Underachiever.
So, what do I do with this book?
1. This book is a great read aloud, especially if you are teaching writing 5-paragraph essays. Some of your students may be feeling the same way as Hank, and you can open up discussions on difficulties they are having writing these essays. Many children feel the same way as Hank Zipzer–the information is in their heads, but how do they get it down on paper? Students can even journal about this topic and share their feelings about writing, math, science, and so on.
2. Niagara Falls is an obvious topic of study while reading this book. Students can make a list of all the facts that Hank Zipzer quotes in the book about the Falls. You can also challenge each of your students or your children (if you homeschool) to find one more fact about the Falls that Hank has not stated. Ask students to write it on an index card. You can make a Niagara Falls fact bulletin board. If you want to be really brave, you can try a class project and build the Falls like Hank does. Just hope that your tubing and pipes hold up! 
3. At the end of the novel, one of Hank’s teachers helps him out a little by talking to his parents. During the talk, his dad basically says he is lazy and doesn’t try hard enough. Ask your students to describe Hank and his character in a paragraph. Then ask them to write another paragraph and support either his dad’s point of view or his teacher’s. Tell them to use specific events in the book to support their opinions.
For more information on the Hank Zipzer series by Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver, please see the Hank Zipzer website.
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