Jack on the Tracks: Four Seasons of Fifth Grade

My favorite book is JACK ON THE TRACKS written by JACK GANTOS. It is an autobiographic fiction book about a boy's troubles in 5th grade. My favorite character is Miss kitty II. I like her because it thinks it is a dog & it knows how to skim board. The author writing style is humor & time elapse of 5th grade. Why I like it because I am in 5th grade & there is a lot I can relate to like his troubles. For example he has a killer cat & so do I & his friends are crazy & so are mine. This is a good book for a 5th Grader.

Jack on the tracks is and awesome book and I think everyone should read it!!! I don't want to give any of the book away but if you read this you will be howling with laughter after the first few chapters!!!!!!!!!! I loved this book so much that I'm writing 2 reports on it for school. A salute to Jack Gantos for writing a great book!!!!!

This book i readwas so funny. Some of the things he does, like run around the streets naked around the blook and drinking alchohal this is a funny book

Jack on the Tracks was a hilarious book.I can relate to Jack, at times. Like when Miss Kitty got ran over by a train, my cat got ran over by a car. O.K., maybe I can't relate, but thats not my point. I had a lot of favorite parts, but my all time favorite part was when the family found Miss Kitty the third frozen in the refridgerator. By the end of the chapter I thought I needed a breathing tube I was laughing so hard. As you can see, I loved this book, and I'd bet you'd love it too!

If you know a reluctant reader in the 10-12 year old age bracket, this is the perfect title to change their mind about books. As a teacher, I've watched sixth grade boys (girls too!) snort and literally fall out of their chairs in fits of laughter over this one--for some it is the first book they have truthfully read cover to cover. No skimming. No fake reading. Pure enjoyment. Comprehension shoots up dramatically for these kids. They can't wait to meet to talk about Jack. They'll gladly reread their favorite misadventure to a friend--and with new found fluency. You can't imagine how wonderful it is to see your weaker readers standing in line for lunch saying, "Did you get to the part yet where . . . That book is SO funny!" Jack is their hero, living out their secret fantasy, when he drops a cockroach in the mouth of his sleeping sister.Having said that, I feel I must address the concerns of the other educators who have written reviews here. Yes, Jack pulls a few stunts that might raise an eyebrow. He may not be a top-notch role model, but this is why children love him. He has a Bart Simpson type appeal-- slightly deviant, but lovable, and he often DOES suffer from the consequences of his poor judgement. Teachers who feel this is inappropriate because a child might immitate these episodes are not living in the same world as their students. This book is like an installment of the Wonderful World of Disney compared to the video games, movies, magazines, and regular television most children are entertained by for hour upon hour. You can't sanitize everything for children--what a pleasure killer. And I have NEVER met a twelve year old child who thought it would be safe to lie down in front of a train. Sit down and ask one if you are not sure. Reading should be fun--children do not have the same taste in books as their middle-aged, well-intentioned teachers.