SUBSCRIBE
SUBSCRIBE
SLJ Blog Network +
  • 100 Scope Notes
  • A Fuse #8 Production
  • Good Comics for Kids
  • Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog
  • Teen Librarian Toolbox
  • The Classroom Bookshelf
  • The Yarn
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About/Contact
  • *Best New Books*
    • Annual Best Lists
  • Reviews
    • One Star Review
    • Nonfiction
    • Toon Reviews
  • Articles
    • Authors
    • Link Du Jour
  • Covers
    • Covering the Newbery
    • Cover Curiosity
    • Unfortunate Covers
  • News
    • Books on Film
    • Morning Notes
  • Newsletter

October 11, 2011 by Travis Jonker

Review: Marty McGuire by Kate Messner

October 11, 2011 by Travis Jonker   2 comments

Marty McGuire
By Kate Messner
Illustrated by Brian Floca

Scholastic Press

ISBN: 9780545142441
$16.99
Grades 2-4
In Stores

SCROLL TO KEEP READING THIS POST

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

*Best New Book*

Find it at:
Schuler Books | WorldCat

Listen to the first chapter of Marty McGuire:
[audio:https://scopenotesprd.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Marty-McGuire-Chapter-1.mp3|titles=Marty McGuire Chapter 1]

It isn’t easy to get third grade right. With Marty McGuire, Kate Messner brings this age – all too often a literary netherworld – to life with a deft touch. Funny, relatable, and authentic – you can’t ask for much more.

Third-grader Marty McGuire would rather catch frogs than play princess. But alas, her class is putting on a performance of The Princess and the Frog, and the teacher picks tomboy Marty for the lead role. After some serious convincing, our heroine warms up to the idea and even adds an unexpectedly authentic element to the performance.

The pacing and humor make Marty a standout for classroom read-aloud time.

Subtly detailed, Brian Floca’s black and white spot illustrations are notably strong. Supporting the story without getting in the way, they always seem to pop up at just the right spot to keep things moving along.

An excellent first book in a planned series (book #2 in the house), Marty McGuire is likely to win over the beginning chapter book crowd. Make sure you add this to your collection.

Review copy from library

Also reviewed by A Fuse #8 Production, The Cath in the Hat, Kid Lit Frenzy, The Book Maven’s Haven, Kiss the Book.

Filed under: *Best New Books*, Reviews

SHARE:

Read or Leave Comments
reviewScholastic

About Travis Jonker

Travis Jonker is an elementary school librarian in Michigan. He writes reviews (and the occasional article or two) for School Library Journal and is a member of the 2014 Caldecott committee. You can email Travis at scopenotes@gmail.com, or follow him on Twitter: @100scopenotes.

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

October 2021

Review: The Genius Under the Table by Eugene Yelchin

by Travis Jonker

February 2021

Review: Allergic by Megan Wagner Lloyd

by Travis Jonker

August 2020

Review: Beetle & the Hollowbones by Aliza Layne

by Travis Jonker

July 2020

Review: Twins by Varian Johnson and Shannon Wright

by Travis Jonker

April 2020

Review: The Sewer Rat Stink (Geronimo Stilton Graphic Novel #1) by Tom Angleberger

by Travis Jonker

ADVERTISEMENT

SLJ Blog Network

100 Scope Notes

Right Now, on The Yarn Podcast . . .

by Travis Jonker

A Fuse #8 Production

Blaze, the Masked Chicklet and a Dearest Enemy: Two Pieces by Unconventional Artist Claude Ponti

by Betsy Bird

Good Comics for Kids

Bug Scouts: Out in the Wild! | Review

by J. Caleb Mozzocco

Heavy Medal

Many May Suggestions: First Quarter Mock Newbery Possibilities

by Emily Mroczek-Bayci

Teen Librarian Toolbox

Take 5: Recent graphic novels reviews

by Amanda MacGregor

The Classroom Bookshelf

Farewell From The Classroom Bookshelf

by Erika Thulin Dawes

The Yarn

Rebekah Lowell visits The Yarn

by Colby Sharp

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Articles on SLJ

29 Books that Celebrate All Aspects of Jewish Life | Jewish American Heritage Month

More and More Manga: An Updated Primer on Japanese Comic Books and Graphic Novels

A Starter Manga Set: 15 Titles for Children and Tweens

Beth Doesn't Die in This One: 11 Companion Titles that Remix 'Little Women'

Author Jim Murphy Has Died; Kaepernick, Scholastic Publishing Graphic Memoir; and More | News Bites

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. marjorie says

    October 11, 2011 at 11:00 am

    My almost-seven-year old ADORED Marty McGuire, and she is a seriously tough room. She tends to prefer reading beloved books over and over rather than trying something new, but when I put this into her hands the opening sentence just GRABBED her (hey, who could resist “That nice Mrs Kramer lied to me about third grade”?) and would NOT let go. She was HOOKED. ROCK ON, Kate Messner. (Only problem is I keep calling the book “Marty McFly.” It’s my density.)

    • Travis says

      October 11, 2011 at 2:25 pm

      Good to get some real world opinion on this book. It’s incredibly likable, isn’t it?

ADVERTISEMENT

Archives

  • Author/Illustrator Blogs

    • Erin Stead Illustration
    • Hey, Rabbit!
    • James Preller's Blog
    • MATTHEWCORDELLBLOGS
    • Mo Willems Doodles
    • The Scop
  • Book Blogs I Like

    • A Book and a Hug
    • A Fuse #8 Production
    • A Kids Book a Day
    • A Year of Reading
    • Abby (the) Librarian
    • Awful Library Books
    • Becky’s Book Reviews
    • Better Book Titles
    • Book-A-Day Almanac
    • Bookends
    • books4yourkids.com
    • bookshelves of doom
    • Bottom Shelf Books
    • Calling Caldecott
    • Caustic Cover Critic
    • Chad C. Beckerman
    • Charlotte’s Library
    • Cheryl Rainfield
    • Chicken Spaghetti
    • CHILDREN’S ILLUSTRATION
    • Collecting Children’s Books
    • Cybils
    • EarlyWord
    • educating alice
    • Finding Wonderland
    • For Those About to Mock
    • Good Comics for Kids
    • Good Show Sir
    • GottaBook
    • Great Kid Books
    • Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog
    • Hi Miss Julie!
    • Jen Robinson’s Book Page
    • Kidsmomo
    • Maria T. Middleton Design
    • Nerdy Book Club
    • Neverending Search
    • Nine Kinds of Pie
    • One Book, Two Books, Old Books, New Books
    • Out of the Box
    • Oz and Ends
    • PlanetEsme
    • Read Roger
    • Reading Rants!
    • Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast
    • sharpread
    • ShelfTalker
    • so tomorrow
    • The Children's Book Review
    • The Miss Rumphius Effect
    • Uncovered Cover Art
    • Waking Brain Cells
    • Watch. Connect. Read.
  • Library Blogs

    • ALSC Blog
    • Blue Skunk Blog
    • librarian.net
    • LISNews
    • Stephen's Lighthouse
    • Tame The Web: Libraries and Technology
    • Tame The Web: Libraries and Technology
    • Unshelved
  • Follow This Blog

    Enter your email address below to receive notifications of new blog posts by email.

    This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

    This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

    Primary Sidebar

    • News & Features
    • Reviews+
    • Technology
    • School Libraries
    • Public Libraries
    • Age Level
    • Ideas
    • Blogs
    • Classroom
    • Diversity
    • People
    • Job Zone

    Reviews+

    • Book Lists
    • Best Books
    • Media
    • Reference
    • Series Made Simple
    • Tech
    • Review for SLJ
    • Review Submissions

    SLJ Blog Network

    • 100 Scope Notes
    • A Fuse #8 Production
    • Good Comics for Kids
    • Heavy Medal
    • Neverending Search
    • Teen Librarian Toolbox
    • The Classroom Bookshelf
    • The Yarn

    Resources

    • 2022 Youth Media Awards
    • The Newbery at 100: SLJ Celebrates the 100th Anniversary of the Award
    • Special Report | School Libraries 2021
    • Summer Reading 2021
    • Series Made Simple Spring 2021
    • SLJ Diverse Books Survey
    • Summer Programming Survey
    • Research
    • White Papers / Case Studies
    • School Librarian of the Year
    • Mathical Book Prize Collection Development Awards
    • Librarian/Teacher Collaboration Award

    Events & PD

    • In-Person Events
    • Online Courses
    • Virtual Events
    • Webcasts
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Subscribe
    • Media Inquiries
    • Newsletter Sign Up
    • Content Submissions
    • Data Privacy
    • Terms of Use
    • Terms of Sale
    • FAQs
    • Diversity Policy
    • Careers at MSI


    COPYRIGHT © 2022


    COPYRIGHT © 2022