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18 of 18 found the following review helpful:
 Everyday a Clean Slate May 24, 2003
By T. Thompson
I have to say that every single book I have read by Andrew Clements has been a winner! This author really knows what makes middle school kids tick... let alone his understanding of what makes adults kids! Andrew Clements is a true student of human nature.
The theme I find most encouraging in this particular book is that no matter what a jerk we may be or no matter what mistakes we make or no matter what terrible choices we make, every day is a new and fresh one!
Mark is a young man who has extremely rich parents, who barely pay any attention to him and ship him all over the place from home to home and school to school. This experience has left the 5th grader cynical and jaded. Who could blame him?
When Mark gets to yet another new home and school in New Hampshire he decides he is going to tune out everyone and everything at his new school. He decides he will not interact with them because he won't be there long enough to get to know anyone anyway.
Mark's science teacher, Mr. Maxwell is an innovative, environmentally concious educator. He seems like a typical liberal gentleman who is open to all ideas and all people. But he immediately labels Mark as a "Spoiled Rich Kid" and decides to shut him out too.
The great thing that happens in this book is that Mark and his teacher both change. They aren't trapped by the choices they made and they both evolve into better people in the end!
Every day we start with a clean slate and it's all about what we decide to do with that day, that makes us who we are.
This is a very encouraging book... well written and as always perceptive! Yet again, another winner from Andrew Clements!
8 of 8 found the following review helpful:
A Week in the Woods will leave you refreshed Dec 20, 2004
A Week in the Woods is a book that has a mild pace, but it will keep your interest. I am a fifth grader myself (like the character in the book) and I think this book has some realistic parts in it. The main character is a boy who has to move away from his friends, his school and his neighborhood. He moves to a small town in New Hampshire which is nothing like his previous home. His parents (unlike mine)are frequently busy and do not spend much time with him. Without giving away the story, I would like you to know that even if the book starts out a bit slow, it becomes very exciting near the middle of the book. Therefore I recommend this book to everyone but especially fifth grade boys. If you can get a hold of this book, it will be a good read. I read about six chapter books a month and I really like this book.
7 of 7 found the following review helpful:
A Week in the Woods May 18, 2004
A week in the Woods is a great book. It is about a 11 year old boy who has everything in the world. Rich parents, a cool house, great friends, and a great life. Then they have to move. This is common for them becasue his parents find better buisness elswhere. This time they move, Mark is really crushed. This was the first place he really loved and now they have to move to a small town in New Hampshire. The first week he gets there he goes to a small public school. He never pays attention in class and is always melancholy and grumpy. Then one day the science teacher, Mr. Maxwell hands out the information packet for a week long, camping trip in the woods. The whole 5th grade is going, but Mark doesnt want to go at all. Then one night he slept outside in his barn. He loved it so he wanted to try sleeping outside in the woods. His parent wouldnt let him so he had to sleep outside with his nanny. Leo, (nanny), also taught him how to snowshoe. Mark loved this. After about a week Mark loved the woods. So Mark gave his teacher his packet and got everything he needed. Finally it was the day. On the first day Mark's friend Jason got out his knife he had brought. He let Mark hold it and the next thing he knew Mark was in the back of Mr.Maxwell's truck about to be driven home! While Mr. Maxwell was talking to the ranger Mark jumped out of the truck and ran into the woods. For all day and all night Mr. Maxwell looked for Mark who was doing great with his food and he had also built a fire. They found each other in the middle of the night. Mr. Maxwell was in a lot of pain. When he was looking for Mark, a bolder had fallen on his leg and he was stuck. By the end Mark and Mr. Maxwell had become great friends and Mark had become much happier. If you want to read about a great adventure, some laughs, and a great story you should read this book.
4 of 4 found the following review helpful:
A great story for the whole family Jun 30, 2004
Our family listened to this book on tape in the car. Our 6- and 9-year-olds were entertained for hours in the car, as the whole family listened to the story. We thought the characters were interesting, and the last couple of chapters really held everyone's attention. I know my children were especially intrigued by how the main character dealt with his fears. It was a terrific way to pass the time on a long car trip.
3 of 3 found the following review helpful:
An adventure story for kids who like camping out. Aug 17, 2005
By Amanda Richards
From the author of "Frindle" comes an entertaining little story about a rich kid with parents who spend more time at work than at home. They do try their best to be with him as much as possible, and make sure he has everything he needs, but it's just not enough.
When his parents invest in a huge property in rural New Hampshire, Mark is relocated to the local school for a few months, and when he finds that the work is way below his intellectual level, he makes no effort to fit in, and behaves like a spoiled brat.
However, when he begins exploring the new property, he makes all sorts of interesting discoveries, and overcoming his fear of the dark, he finds out that he quite likes camping and the outdoors. Inspired by the books of Jack London, he signs up for the annual class outing, known as "A Week in the Woods", doing his online research to make sure he has everything he needs. He also does some soul searching, and resolves to try to make friends at school and be a better person.
This is not enough for one of his teachers, who is blinded by his first impressions of Mark, and lets this cloud his responsibilities as a teacher. At the beginning of the week in the woods, Mark relaxes and starts enjoying himself, but things take a bad turn when the same teacher decides to send him back home for breaking one of the camp rules.
What follows is the most exciting and informative part of the book, where we learn about survival, human nature and forgiveness.
Recommended for ages 8-9, and kids who like camping out.
Amanda Richards, August 16, 2005
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