The SOS File - Hardcover

Byars, Betsy; Myers, Laurie; Duffey, Betsy

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0805068880 ISBN 13: 9780805068887

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR), 2004

Synopsis

Have you ever needed to call 9-1-1, but you couldn't get to a phone? Have you ever needed to run, but your legs were like spaghetti? Have you ever needed to yell "help!" but your throat was dry with fear?

Laugh, cry, and panic with Mr. Magro's class as they listen to twelve exciting SOS tales

Throughout the year, twelve of Mr. Magro's students have written about their biggest emergencies and tucked them into the SOS file. Now it's time to read the stories out loud and try to guess whose contribution has not earned extra credit. Sit back and enjoy twelve humorously illustrated stories that are sure to keep your heart thumping.

The SOS File is a 2005 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.

About this title

About the Author

Betsy Byars is a recipient of the Newbery Medal, and her two daughters, Laurie Myers and Betsy Duffey, are also well-known authors of a number of successful middle-grade novels. Their first collaboration was the popular My Dog, My Hero, illustrated by Loren Long. Ms. Myers's previous book with Holt is Lewis and Clark and Me.

Arthur Howard, an illustrator of note, is best known as the illustrator of the Mr. Putter and Tabby series by Cynthia Rylant. He has also written and illustrated three picture books of his own, including When I Was Five, an ABA Pick of the Lists. He lives in New York City.

Reviews

Grade 3-5–Mr. Magro asks his students to write about a big emergency, for "fun and extra credit," and the 12 stories that follow are the result of that assignment. (All but one receives extra credit.) The situations described are as varied as the personalities that emerge as the children read their stories aloud. Some tales are poignant, others are humorous; all are as credible as the characters sketched. Some youngsters are determined; with the help of her mom, Joy Frazure tracks down the man who saved her as an infant, just to thank him. Others demonstrate quick thinking or the ability to rethink opinions: Abe Lincoln's words save Augustus T. Bruewhiler III from a bear during a camping trip while a goat helps Robbie Robinson change his mind about mean Mrs. Meany. The final story–the one that didn't get extra credit–by Anonymous reveals how an astute teacher helped shape a boy who had trouble learning and had to repeat first grade. It's Mr. Magro's own inspiring story. Lighthearted sketches enhance characterization and add to the already open format. Children's ages are not specifically mentioned, broadening the appeal of this engaging, plausible, and highly readable collection of anecdotes.–Maria B. Salvadore, formerly at District of Columbia Public Library
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Gr. 4-6. In another collection of stories by the authors of My Dog, My Hero (2000), students describe distressing situations in which they needed help. Framed as extra-credit class assignments for Mr. Magro's class, the 12 first-person narratives reveal a range of personalities and situations, from a dramatic runaway go-cart ride and facing the consequences of eating one's fund-raising candy to overcoming fear of failure in playing baseball. The concluding story about coping with a learning challenge is revealed as Mr. Magro's own, illustrating that teachers are people, too. From familiar difficulties (losing a beloved object) to extraordinary ones (the sobering but ultimately uplifting account of being rescued as a newborn from a motel dumpster), the stories will inspire thought and discussion about the different kinds of crises that may touch our lives. The accessible format, lively tellings, and diverse characters may also appeal to reluctant readers older than the target middle-grade audience. Black-and-white, cartoonlike drawings enliven the stories. Shelle Rosenfeld
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Edition details

• Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
• Publication date: 2004
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0805068880
• ISBN 13: 9780805068887
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Howard Arthur
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 80