Jack's Black Book (Jack Henry Series #5)

by Jack Gantos

Overview

From the Newbery Medal–winning author of Dead End in Norvelt, the uproarious final volume of Jack Henry stories

According to his new motto—A WRITER'S JOB IS TO TURN HIS WORST EXPERIENCES INTO MONEY—Jack Gantos's alter ego Jack Henry is going to be filty rich even before he gets out of junior high, for his life is filled with the worst experiences imaginable. For instance, in the course of the few months covered in this closing cycle of interlinked stories, Jack is humiliated by a gorgeous syncronized swimmer, gets a tattoo the size of an ant on his big toe, flubs an IQ test and nearly fails wood shop, and has to dig up his dead dog not once but twice. And that's not the half of it!

At the close of this final book of semi-autobiographical stories, Jack may not end up rolling in dough, but he will prove once again "a survivor, an ‘everyboy' whose world may be wacko but whose heart and spirit are eminently sane" (School Library Journal).

This title has Common Core connections.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780374437169
Publisher:	Square Fish
Publication date:	09/10/1999
Series:	Jack Henry Series , #5
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	176
Sales rank:	265,834
Product dimensions:	5.16(w) x 7.59(h) x 0.46(d)
Lexile:	710L (what's this?)
Age Range:	10 - 14 Years

About the Author

Jack Gantos has written books for people of all ages, from picture books and middle-grade fiction to novels for young adults and adults. His works include Hole in My Life, a memoir that won the Michael L. Printz and Robert F. Sibert Honors, Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key, a National Book Award Finalist, Joey Pigza Loses Control, a Newbery Honor book, and Dead End in Norvelt, winner of the Newbery Medal and the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction.

Jack was born in Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania, and when he was seven, his family moved to Barbados. He attended British schools, where there was much emphasis on reading and writing, and teachers made learning a lot of fun. When the family moved to south Florida, he found his new classmates uninterested in their studies, and his teachers spent most of their time disciplining students. Jack retreated to an abandoned bookmobile (three flat tires and empty of books) parked out behind the sandy ball field, and read for most of the day. The seeds for Jack's writing career were planted in sixth grade, when he read his sister's diary and decided he could write better than she could. He begged his mother for a diary and began to collect anecdotes he overheard at school, mostly from standing outside the teachers' lounge and listening to their lunchtime conversations. Later, he incorporated many of these anecdotes into stories.

While in college, he and an illustrator friend, Nicole Rubel, began working on picture books. After a series of well-deserved rejections, they published their first book, Rotten Ralph, in 1976. It was a success and the beginning of Jack's career as a professional writer. Jack continued to write children's books and began to teach courses in children's book writing and children's literature. He developed the master's degree program in children's book writing at Emerson College and the Vermont College M.F.A. program for children's book writers. He now devotes his time to writing books and educational speaking. He lives with his family in Boston, Massachusetts.

Reading Group Guide

Discussing and Responding

Jack reads in an old writers' magazine that writers are often misfits who have to make their own place in the world. Why might Jack be considered a misfit? Discuss whether Jack is comfortable with being a misfit. What are

Jack's efforts to make his own place in the world? How does Jack change by the end of the novel?

Jack says that he feels humiliated when rejected by the synchronized swimmer. Find other times in the novel where Jack experiences humiliation. How does he deal with humiliation? How do these experiences help Jack change?

In chapter 5, "The Blind Leading the Blind,"

Jack thinks about the difference between real tragedy and fake tragedy. What is Jack's definition of tragedy? What does "near tragedy" mean? What is the difference between tragedy and bad luck? Ask students to find articles in the newspaper that they would label either tragic or bad-luck stories.

Invite them to share the stories with the class.

Jack thinks that his family is very cynical,

especially his dad. What is a cynic? Jack feels that his family is negative toward the positive changes that he is trying to make. What causes his family to be so cynical? What might Jack do to change their attitude toward him? What are the positive changes that Jack makes?

Reaching across the Curriculum

Language Arts

Jack doesn't want his writing to sound like

Hallmark greeting cards. Ask students to read various types of greeting cards. Remind them that Jack enjoys a good laugh. Then instruct them to write a greeting card of encouragement that they would send to Jack.

Jack's father tries to teach his children lessons by telling them stories. Divide the class into groups and ask each group to make up a story that would teach Jack a lesson about hanging around with Gary Pagoda.

Social Studies

At one point in the novel, a woman says that

Pete is a juvenile delinquent and that she is going to make a citizen's arrest. Ask students to find out how a person makes a citizen's arrest. What are the dangers involved in making a citizen's arrest?

Science

Mr. Pagoda invents a Pet Pad. Send students to the library to use books, magazines, or the

Internet to research unusual inventions. How does a person obtain a patent for an invention?

Art

Design a newspaper advertisement for Mr.

Pagoda's Pet Pad or Jack's Dog Coffin.

Include a picture, a description of the item,

the cost, and where the item can be purchased.

Editorial Reviews

These are the unsaid things that go on inside kids' brains.” —Rosie, age 11

“Twisted, revolting, and hilarious.” —Randy Powell, author of Is Kissing a Girl Who Smokes Like Licking an Ashtray?

“I suggest you read this book.” —Tristan, age 14

“The narrative sparkles with wit and . . . rings with the authenticity of adolescent humor, embarrassment, and fascination with the absolutely gross . . . Zany characters, good pacing, lots of humor, and a touch of romance make this a quick, fun read.” —School Library Journal

“Enough descriptive disaster to satisfy youngsters looking for a gross-out . . . Good solid writing, and a bizarre plot that even reluctant adults can't help but appreciate.” —The Horn Book

From the Publisher

Twisted, revolting, and hilarious.

author of Is Kissing a Girl Who Smokes Like Lickin Randy Powell

At the end of seventh grade, Jack Henry decides to write a novel in this third collection of interlinked stories. Ages 10-up. (Sept.) r Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Gr 5-7Gantos's third book about Jack Henry (Heads or Tails [1994]; Jack's New Power [1995, both Farrar]) continues the wacky adventures of 13-year-old Jack in a series of three interlinked stories. Back in Florida, Jack decides that becoming a writer will allow him to turn his worst experiences, and he has many, into money. He flubs his IQ test, nearly flunks wood shop, almost gets a date with a beautiful girl, visits a fortune teller, digs up his dead dog not once but twice, and copes with members of an off-kilter family who constantly remind him of his stupidity. Through it all, Jack manages to barrel forward, self-esteem intact, with high expectations and crazy schemes. Based on Gantos's own trials and tribulations growing up in Barbados and Florida, the narrative sparkles with wit and, although exaggerated, rings with the authenticity of adolescent humor, embarrassment, and fascination with the absolutely gross. The dog coffin scenes, with maggots and rats, would no doubt sell the book to middle-grade boys. Zany characters, good pacing, lots of humor, and a touch of romance make this a quick, fun read.Connie Tyrrell Burns, Mahoney Middle School, South Portland, ME

School Library Journal

Gantos trots out one disgusting and dangerous event after another to give his morose protagonist material for jokes, but the fun and games are edging over the top in this companion to Jack's New Power (1995).

Jack wants to become a writer, but his familyunique but functioning in previous episodes and mere cartoons hereis united in a belief in his worthlessness. When the dog, BeauBeau III, breaks its neck and dies, Jack's sister, Betsy, is all wisecracks; on the trip to the vet, Jack's father suggests tying the dog to the car, like a dead deer, in case its bladder lets go (it's not the first time the dog's bodily functions are discussed). The parents are on vacation when Betsy, at home, sets a kitchen fire: "We were screaming and laughing, but . . . we just managed to get the baby out [of the bassinet] before the blanket burst into flames." Away from home, the situation's no better: School is a former prison; the volunteer librarian bolts down books and accuses the boy of stealing; the cafeteria serves creamed chicken gizzards weekly. Crammed in are descriptions of digging up the dog Jack buries (twice), spit, broken teeth, head lumps, and more. With a mean-spirited reliance on shock and cheap laughs, the book gets some tacked-on introspection at the end: "It was all about . . . what you wanted to become, and how much you love being yourself."

Kirkus Reviews