No Talking

I really liked the characters, and the plot. The ending was great, and was not what I had expected. (I don't like predictable endings, and No Talking did not disappoint!) The main characters are 5th graders, but the book is still very enjoyable for older ages. I would highly recommend this book and author; No Talking definitely deserves 5 stars!

The basic plot: A couple of 5th graders decide to see if their class can go 48 hours without talking. Boys against girls. If a teacher addresses you, you may respond with the maximum of three words. No Talking is an adorable story. It's a fun concept, and the author takes the idea and moves it along at a quick, easy pace. I loved the sweet ending. It was very much a "happy book" - one that leaves you with a smile. Highly enjoyable . . . it almost made me want to try the kids' experiment, too.

Andrew Clements knows alot about school situations! This was brilliant! It is a must read for any school class that ever has a problem with students that talk to much! It is fantastic!

No Talking is another fun and thought provoking book by Andrew Clements. The story focuses on a notoriously loud and chatty group of fifth graders, led by Dave Packer and Lynsey Burgess. The students' typical boy vs. girl mentality is intensified when an argument between Dave and Lynsey leads to a No Talking contest between the fifth grade boys and girls. The manner in which the students go about fulfilling the no talking rule and the unexpected reactions they receive from their teachers and principal is what truly makes this book entertaining. Andrew Clements is an excellent author for school-aged children and always provides an interesting twist to the otherwise mundane. While many of us have participated in no talking contests, I promise they have never turned out like this. As an elementary teacher, I appreciate that Clements includes topics, such as Gandhi, in a way that peaks student interest and encourages children to learn more about the subject. Children will easily identify with the characters and situations presented in No Talking but be warned, things may be a little quieter after they finish reading it.

Not all Andrew Clements novels are created equal, and that's a fact. I mean, don't get me wrong. This is true of most children's authors. But sometimes I feel that with Clements, he's always readable. Even if you feel that one book of his is better than another, that doesn't mean that kids aren't going to read them all equally like mad. I maintain the paperback fiction portion of the children's room in which I work, so I've seen firsthand the levels of sheer maniacal energy that go into keeping that area stocked. Turn around for two seconds and FOOM! There go all your copies of Frindle, The Landry News, and Lunch Money. And while I've always kind of enjoyed Clements, none of his books really struck me as something I would have liked to have read when I was a kid. Then I picked up "No Talking". Oh brother, oh sister, oh me, oh my. This. Book. Is. Great. Yes, it has a little bit of learning. A teensy bit of a moral stuffed in there. But to me, this is Clements at the top of his game. Tapping into the essential rivalries that exist between boys and girls, this book is just pure fun and that's a fact. A must read for Clements fans and an enjoyable jaunt for the rest of us. Let me tell you a little something about the fifth-graders of Laketon Elementary. The teachers there call them The Unshushables for a reason. These kids are the loudest group to cross the threshold of Laketon in years. They also happen to be a bit immature in the whole boys and girls area of things. Where other kids might be growing up at this stage and toning down the gender rivalries, this group is led by two leaders. You've Dave on the boys' side and Lynsey on the girls. But when a dare breaks out between the two as to whether or not the boys or the girls can keep from talking the most over the course of two days, neither side is prepared for the consequences. With rules firmly in place, the kids begin their contest only to find that it has inadvertently raised the ire of their normally competent principal. Now the kids will join together to face a common enemy in the quietest manner possible. The moral of the story would make it pretty ideal for bookgroups discussions. The principal's opinion on everything is summed up nicely in Chapter 15. "These children need to learn to be quiet when it's right to be quiet, and they need to talk and participate at the right times too." This isn't a rigid stance until the kids stop talking en masse (something I'm sure educators countrywide would love to encourage) and of their own volition. Suddenly, the idea of silence as a weapon comes to mind. The principal trying to make kids talk becomes the kid-friendly equivalent of the old villainous statement, "We have way of MAKING you talk." So when authority figures tell you that you have to talk and be silent only when they say so, isn't that an untenable situation? It's worthy of further thought. I've maintained for years that the best children's authors ar

In Andrew Clements' latest book, fifth-grader Dave Packer challenges fellow loudmouth Lynsey Burgess to an original boys vs. girls contest. Although this grade level has been dubbed "the Unhushables," by teachers for their constant chatter, all of the fifth graders compete to see which gender can say the least number of words in two days. The varied reactions of the teachers and principal to the students' silence, as well as the eventual camaraderie that develops between the boys and girls, make this book a truly delightful read. I would strongly recommend this book, as well as any other Andrew Clements title! As a fourth grade elementary teacher, Andrew Clements is hands down my favorite author! He writes funny and entertaining school stories that kids can connect with. However, his plots are always clever and original, with his well developed characters often stumbling across profound academic and social truths. The perspectives of teachers and other authority figures are presented along with the students' in a respectful, reflective manner. I use Andrew Clements' books extensively in literature circle groups with my students, as his novels provoke a great deal of discussion from my students.