John Hancock Club

Sean McFerrin and his third grade class in Room 121 can't wait to learn how to write in cursive handwriting.

Their teacher, Mrs. Tovani, promises that whoever learns to use a legible and elegant cursive will be inducted into the John Hancock Club. Joining a club sounds exciting, but who is John Hancock?

As Sean and his classmates practice cursive writing, they also learn about John Hancock, a patriot in the American Revolution who had a very special signature and who was cheered in an extraspecial way:

Huzzah! Huzzah!

Will Sean's cursive ever be good enough for him to join a club named after such an important man? The surprises in store for Sean and his friends make for the best third grade year ever! Huzzah!

Lucinda Snyder WhitehurstCopyright 2006 Reed Business Information. - School Library Journal

Gr 1-3
Most of the children in Sean's class have been looking forward to third grade and learning cursive writing. Sean, however, is worried that third grade is going to take a lot more thinking than second grade had. Nevertheless, he soon becomes excited about his classroom activities. His teacher tells the children about John Hancock and explains that they will be invited to join The John Hancock Club when they have mastered cursive. The text is written in short segments and bursts of dialogue to engage reluctant and transitional readers. One quibble: the Caucasian principal and teacher are called Mr. Meeker and Mrs. Tovani, while the African-American cook is simply Rose to both students and teachers. Gustavson's vibrant watercolor illustrations depict a multiethnic group of students and pleasant school scenes. Mr. Meeker is shown getting into the Hancock spirit with his tricorn hat and American-flag tie. Real examples of cursive are incorporated into the page design. The back jacket helpfully features a reproduction of the Declaration of Independence. Borden provides gentle lessons about how new skills take practice to master and how worrying about something can be worse than actually doing it. Many children will relate to Sean's experience.

Authors : Louise Borden, Adam Gustavson

Publisher : Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

Published Year : June 2007

Edition : Repackage

Subject : Children's Fiction, Historical

ISBN : 1416918132

ISBN13 : 9781416918134