Release Date: May 8, 2012
About The Book:Readers met the comical Kevin in Liar, Liar and Flat Broke. Kevin gets serious about Tina Zabinski, the Most Beautiful Girl in the World. Finally, finally, he's worked up his courage—he's going to ask her out. Or will his trademark scheming get in his way?
First Line: I'm the most romantic guy you'll ever meet.
One Hilarious Line: That plastic-looking, fake-named, phony-friendly doofus wasn't going to waltz into my school and take my girlfriend away from me. (10)
What Others Are Saying: "Kevin takes his understanding
of the scientific method and attempts to apply to it learning
about romance. His naivete and innocence about relationships
and dating makes not only this character, but even his crazy
antics all the more endearing. The girls who were bored by Hatchet will love Crush." -Mrs. Bond on Goodreads
What I Thought: There are few books that make me literally laugh out-loud and this one did. I don't think there was a page that lacked something outrageosusly funny. Middle school readers will love every minute of Kevin's experiments of love. I hadn't had a chance to read Kevin's other adventures and I definitely want to pick them up,now. Paulsen really has an authentic middle grade voice and makes this story believable.
About The Author: Gary Paulsen
Who: Born May 17, 1939, Gary Paulsen is one of America's most popular writers for young people. Although he was never a dedicated student, Paulsen developed a passion for reading at an early age. After a librarian gave him a book to read — along with his own library card — he was hooked. He began spending hours alone in the basement of his apartment building, reading one book after another.
Running away from home at the age of 14 and traveling with a carnival, Paulsen acquired a taste for adventure. A youthful summer of rigorous chores on a farm; jobs as an engineer, construction worker, ranch hand, truck driver, and sailor; and two rounds of the 1,180-mile Alaskan dog sled race, the Iditarod; have provided ample material from which he creates his powerful stories.-Random House
How: Writing is so much a part of the way I live that I would be lost without the discipline and routine. I write every day—every day—and it gives me balance and focus. Every day I wake up, usually at 4:30 a.m., with the sole purpose of sitting down to write with a cup of hot tea and a computer or a laptop or a pad of paper—it doesn’t matter. I’ve written whole books in my office, in a dog kennel with a headlamp, on more airplanes than I can remember, on the trampoline of my catamaran off the shores of Fiji—it never matters where I write, just where the writing takes me.-Random House
What on earth can teachers be whining about? How difficult can it be to work only nine months out of the year and get off work at 3:30pm? Right?
*Read This And Enter The Contest Below*
During the last 30 years I have spent hours volunteering, working and spending time in the education system. My children have graduated and now my grandchildren have entered the public school system and I'm taking time out again, to lend a hand. I find myself in awe of what a teacher is required to do on a daily basis.
These challenges would never be tolerated in a normal work environment. The amount of extra time and money spent outside of school in any other profession would be reimbursed or rewarded by overtime pay or merit increases and bonuses.
What would happen if people in other professions faced the same realities teachers do on a daily basis...
1. You manage 28 employees that all talk at once, won't stay at their desks, aren't catching on to the expectations of the job, stop you every 5 minutes to ask a question completely unrelated to the project at hand or don't finish their work. What happens? THEY'RE FIRED.
Teachers don't choose their students nor can they terminate being their teacher.
2. You're a doctor and you have 28 patients that all need to be screened, evaluated and appropriate treatments found all at the same time in the same exam room. RIDICULOUS?
Teachers do it everyday.
3. You are an hourly sales employee and a big event is coming up that requires extra preparation and training which means you are working longer than 8 hours. YOU'RE PAID OVERTIME.
Teachers on average spend two hours each evening correcting papers, calling parents or planning curriculum.
4. You're a lawyer and you have a client that insists on discussing the progress of their case on a daily basis through email and phone calls, another client needs to be coached for tomorrows trial, you win a settlement for one of your clients. HOURLY CHARGES APPLY AND YOU TAKE YOUR PERCENTAGE OFF THE TOP.
Teachers may receive an apple, coffee mug, maybe even a brownie, however usually they are lucky if they receive a thank-you. There's no bonus for students that are successful on tests or graduate.
5. You work for your company long enough to earn six to eight week paid vacation so you plan a trip to Europe and maybe a cruise. YOUR VACATION IS YOUR TIME.
Teachers summers are filled with learning new curriculum, continuing education(at their expense) and running summer programs. And besides, who can afford a cruise on a teachers salary.
6. Banks take our money and invest it, create a sub-prime crises, shatter the economy and create the highest unemployment rates in years. THEY GET A BAILOUT. (Still our money.)
Teachers spend at least 10% of their own income supplementing their classrooms: paper, pencils, art supplies, hats and gloves, books, lunch money, materials, snacks, student awards, special programs...where's their bailout?
7) The average salary in the U.S. is $52,029 the average teacher salary in the U.S. is 42,225.
NO ONE GETS RICH ON A TEACHERS SALARY.
More and more quality teachers are leaving the profession in order to support their families.
I challenge anyone to spend an entire week in the classroom and see how easy-breezy it is. When was the last time you visited a public school?
In honor of the hard work teachers do on behalf of children I'm running a contest.
The prize is a five page critique and a $25 Office Depot gift card for the teacher of your choice or you if you're a teacher.
To Win:
1) Must be a follower.
2) Mention this contest In your blog.
3) Tweet about this.
4) Enter a comment about the teacher you would like the gift certificate for and why. Confirm that you have done 1-3.
