“Roar!” says Judy Moody as she wakes up for the first day of third grade. Judy is not excited about a new teacher, a new desk, or a new class pet. And the worst part? None of her shirts have words on them.
“Judy Moody did not want to give up summer. She did not feel like brushing her hair every day. She did not feel like memorizing spelling words. And she did not want to sit next to Frank Pearl, who ate paste, in class. Judy Moody was in a mood.”
Judy Moody is unabashed. She gets mad, acts silly, is surprised, speaks up, and is always curious. Girls and boys will delight in her antics with her good pal Rocky, and identify with her frustrations with her little brother, Stink. Megan McDonald expertly creates a character who feels so real — as if you are sitting next to her in Mr. Todd’s third grade class.
Judy and her classmates spend the course of the book working on a personal project called a “Me collage.” Your own students will likely want to create their own Me collages, too. (Let’s hope no little brothers squirt purple juice on the finished projects!)
“Judy Moody wanted to be the one to pick up the pizza. She wanted to be the one to open the box. She wanted to be the one who got to keep the little three-legged plastic table that kept the box top from sticking to the pizza.”
Judy is interested in plastic pizza tables and science and doctors. And the rainforest, space, secret clubs, and her many collections. McDonald also includes some scenes with money and high finance at the corner store. Judy’s boundless interests and wide-ranging adventures provide numerous opportunities to engage your students with Judy across your curriculum — at home and at school.
“My new pet’s not an animal, Mr. Todd. And it doesn’t eat homework. Just bugs and raw hamburger.”
Judy Moody is a book to get classrooms and families laughing and hooked on reading together. She will remind all of us that life is 20% what happens to us and 80% how we deal with it, so any bad day can be turned into a good one if we make it happen. She will help create a culture of literacy in your families’ homes and – with over a dozen books in the series (as well as a spinoff series starring Stink) – you will want to make sure your library has all of them!