A Brand-New Me! (Hank Zipzer Series #17)

by Henry Winkler, Lin Oliver, Tim Heitz (Illustrator)

Overview

It’s graduation time for Hank Zipzer and all his friends— time to move on from PS 87 to middle school. Trouble is, there are tests Hank has to pass to get into the same middle schools as his friends, and his learning differences might get in the way. Luckily, a life-altering audition at a performing arts middle school helps him find his true path.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781101171776
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	04/20/2010
Series:	Hank Zipzer Series , #17
Sold by:	Penguin Group
Format:	eBook
Pages:	160
Lexile:	750L (what's this?)
File size:	342 KB
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Henry Winkler is an acomplished actor, producer and director.  In 2003, Henry added author to his list of acheivements as he co-authored a series of children's books.  Inspired by the true life experiences of Henry Winkler, whose undiagnosed dyslexia made him a classic childhood underachiever, the Hank Zipzer series is about the high-spirited and funny adventures of a boy with learning differences.

Henry is married to Stacey Weitzman and they have three children.

Lin Oliver is a writer and producer of movies, books, and television series for children and families. She has created over one hundred episodes of television, four movies, and seven books. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Alan. They have three sons named Theo, Ollie, and Cole, one fluffy dog named Annie, and no iguanas.

Editorial Reviews

This volume of the Hank Zipzer series looks like a chapter book, but the narrative voice is that of a jaded, underachieving fifth grader. Unfortunately, he lacks the charisma that would make him a likable character instead of a tiresome one. His forgetfulness and irresponsibility wear on the reader, although they are probably intended to make him someone young readers can relate to. In this school story, Hank is disappointed to find out that his two best friends will be going to a middle school for gifted students, while he goes on to a public middle school with other average students. But when the music teacher discovers Hank's hidden talent for improvisational drama (which doesn't actually seem as noteworthy as the characters think it is), he gets Hank an audition at a performing arts middle school. Tension mounts as Hank's audition approaches. With Hank as the narrator, the reader knows what he's thinking and feeling, so it's inconsistent to the narrative arc when Hank suddenly backs out of the audition without warning. Fortunately, his grandfather, a cliche of a wise older family member, is there to talk him through it. In the end, Hank's talent and his honesty about his learning disability see him through. Most of the adults in this book are caricatures: Principal Love drones on and on with meaningless platitudes, the severe Mrs. Adolf is a parody of Hitler, and Hank's parents act like cardboard cutouts of parents. Even his siblings act and speak in cliches, with his baby brother playing the classic role of "stinky-diapered baby brother." The author's decision to name the drama teacher Garry Marshall is likely a nod to the author's "Happy Days" television producer, a reference that seems self-indulgent since it will likely be lost on young readers. Reviewer: Michele C. Hughes

Children's Literature - Michele C. Hughes