I chose this book to read because I found it in my shelf collecting dust. I've read this book years and years ago. When I was in year 7 we had to do a novel study. At that time I HATED reading, it was my least favourite thing to do and I refused to read the book. The book wasn't "There's a boy in the girls' Bathroom" but it was from the same author Louis Sachar. The book was called "Holes". Like I have said in my previous reviews I usually judge the book by their cover, and the book "Holes" had a very boring title page... We had to read to page 20 in the first period and I refused and put up a hissy fit, I did not enjoy it at first and it bore me to death.Then at home I decided to continue to read it because I had nothing to do and I was very bored. So I continued to read it and read, and read and read until I had only about 10 pages left. Of course we had to read the book over a couple of months but I read it over a couple of days.When I told my teacher that I finished the book she was astonished, astounded. She couldn’t believe that the girl that put up a fight with her, and rejected the idea of reading the book, finished the book first, out of the whole class. To be honest I was very surprised as well. She said since I’ve already finished the book she had nothing else to give me so she recommended some other book. To my surprise I really like “Holes” and I thought it was brilliant so I wanted to read another book that Louis Sacher wrote. So I got out “There’s a boy in the girls bathroom” I started reading it when the kids were only up to page 50 on “Holes”“There’s a boy in the girls bathroom” is about a boy called Bradley he has some anger and lying problems but he gets through them with the help of the new guidance counsellor Carla, things happen good things and bad things. Good things meaning Bradley behaves better and Bradley and Carla become a love interest. Bad things meaning the parents of Carla’s clients did not approve because of Carla’s age so Carla was forced to move and Bradley went through a mental break down. In the end everything turned out fine and Bradley made friends and got his grades up.My favourite character is Carla because she is true to everyone and herself, she helps Bradley see within himself who he is, and she is so cute!My favourite quote is what Bradley says “Give me a dollar or I will spit on you” I really like this quote because later on in the book he goes to the same boy (Jeff) and says “I will give you your dollar back if you will be my friend”.This book gave out a great message. 1.To not go in the girls bathroom if you are a boy and 2. to be kind and friendly and people will do the same to youThis book made me think about how that there are some people out there with social problems who just cant seem to make friends easily so you must sometimes make the first move to introduce your self. Here i am, my best friend has some social problems but because i made the first move and introduced myself me and my best friend are still besties for 10 years now.I rate this book 4/5 because it was really good, gave out many good messages and was really enjoyable to read.I put this book under the category on my Blog Bingo Board under “A book with a male main character” because Bradley is the main character and he is a boy.
It's a shame the title is so ridiculous, because the book itself is not. It's an honest and insightful look in to what makes a person "good" or "bad" and how one changes the way others perceive him. It also shows beautifully the difference that adults can make on the lives and self-images of children--either to help them or to hurt them (hopefully unintentionally).My strongest emotions at the end of this were anger and gratitude. The portrayal of the school system in this book is heartbreaking. Bradley's teacher frustrated me so much--people like that have no business being teachers. She had him sitting in a back corner surrounded by empty desks and told the new boy that she was sorry those were the only open seats, because she knows nobody wants to sit by THAT boy.And then announcing to the class that there were 16 A's and the rest B's... except for one F, when every student in the class will know who got the F is beyond belief heartless.What honestly made me angry was the depiction of the school board and the angry parent meeting that got Carla fired. The one person who actually cares about the students and helping them learn to think for themselves (educating them, in other words) is the person they gang up on and reject. The saddest part is that I fear that depiction is all too accurate in so many cases.What made me grateful was that in the midst of all of these horrible teachers and misguided systems, there are people like Carla. People who aren't so quick to give up on the students. People who want to help mold healthy individuals and not simply produce students who excel at doing what they're told. People who don't make the poor Mom have to repeat "But deep down inside he's really a good boy," because they can already see it for themselves.And the birthday party scene where all the girls start fighting over who gets to help Bradley and explain to him what happens at birthday parties goes a long way to restoring my faith in humanity after the school board scene. That whole party was just so wonderfully well done, with Bradley slowly relaxing and everyone being so kind to him and all of them just having so much fun as a result. Beautiful!Lovely, lovely book. I can't wait to recommend it to my students!
Review from April 2014I will never not love this book. Also, Louis Sachar forever.While I was rereading this book for the 10,000th time in my life, I was thinking that this book probably taught me a lot about empathy when I was younger. All kids should learn to have empathy. To put themselves in another person's shoes. To try to understand somebody's motivations. To be nice. It's important. The end.Review from October 2007I don't know why lately, but I've had problems committing myself to serious, long, adult novels. I recently found this book at the Durham County Library Book Sale (best book sale EVER) and was ecstatic. I probably read this book 20 times when I was in the 1st, 2nd, and/or 3rd grade(s). It's about problem child, bully of the school Bradley Chalkers, and how he changes through friendship and believing in himself. It's a very sweet story that I'd recommend to anybody. Also, Louis Sachar, the author, is a genius. I love his other books that I've read, like Holes, and who can forget the Wayside School stories? Great.
—Michelle
I remember reading this on my own several winter breaks before we read it as a class, and loved it then too. Maybe one of my favorite kids' books ever.
—77mswoods
t This is a perfect read-aloud book, one I'd seen in classrooms for ages but never actually read until my coteacher suggested it. And she was right. There's so much to have deeper conversations around with our class.Bradley, the 'bad kid', is everyone's idea of a nightmare, but the book slowly lets you in to see exactly how low his self-esteem is. I loved seeing Bradley alone in his room, using his model animals to allow himself to actually feel what he's feeling instead of just yelling ...moreThis is a perfect read-aloud book, one I'd seen in classrooms for ages but never actually read until my coteacher suggested it. And she was right. There's so much to have deeper conversations around with our class.Bradley, the 'bad kid', is everyone's idea of a nightmare, but the book slowly lets you in to see exactly how low his self-esteem is. I loved seeing Bradley alone in his room, using his model animals to allow himself to actually feel what he's feeling instead of just yelling and raging and growling at everything around him to scare people off. In life it's hard to let people in and actually be yourself, especially when you hate yourself as much as Bradley does. He gets through it and realizes he can be a friend and a good person, but I love that it's slow and hard - it goes terribly over and over again. That's how it really is in life. You can't just fix stuff immediately.I also loved that Jeff - who at first I thought would be the main character who "gets to know the real Bradley" and understands him - was actually the secondary character. He was a friend to Bradley, but he didn't just stick by him or discover him. He got angry at him, he ditched him for the "cool kids"; it was a lot more like real life. I also felt his frustration - after trying to Bradley's frustration, I would've given up too. You can only do so much to be someone's friend, after all. Sometimes they have to do things on their own!I also really like that Louis Sachar used the idea of a "monster" to symbolize Bradley. We all kind of feel like monsters sometimes. I know I can feel scary and terrible and like no one would want to be around. We all have things we hate about ourselves, even though mine aren't tentacles or having four fingers. But it reminds me of the movie "Monsters, Inc." - the monsters are scary to some people, but darn, aren't they also awesome and kind of adorable? So Bradley - and the rest of us - can be those things, too. Probably. Eventually.
—Ms.Kromholz
