The Worst Class in the World
The Worst Class in the World
Joanna Nadin
Bloomsbury Childrens Books
ISBN 9781526611833
A brand new, laugh-out-loud young fiction series from bestselling author Joanna Nadin. Perfect for fans of Horrid Henry and the Trouble with Daisy series. According to head teacher Mrs Bottomley-Blunt, 4B is the WORST CLASS IN THE WORLD. She says school is not about footling or fiddle-faddling or FUN. It is about LEARNING and it is high time 4B tried harder to EXCEL at it. But Stanley and Manjit didn't LITERALLY mean to make their whole class sick with homemade biscuits. And they definitely didn't LITERALLY mean for Manjit's dog Killer to eat their teacher's shoes or for Bruce Bingley's rat to escape. These things just happened even though they had a FOOLPROOF plan. You see, 4B may be the WORST CLASS IN THE WORLD. But you wouldn't want to be anywhere else. Highly illustrated and featuring two hilarious madcap adventures in one book, these books are just right for children ready for their first chapter books.
Librarian's Book choiceLITERALLY, one of the most hilarious books I have read in a long time. Fast, funny and full of 'fiddle faddling'. There are delightful, charismatic kids, an endearing (totally harassed)class teacher and an always looming, bad tempered, horse-braying Headteacher.
The Worst Class In The World by Joanna Nadin is an absolutely gleeful celebration of all sorts of school mischief and chaos that can be had with the infamous class 4B. The class biscuit battle is deliciously gross (and extremely creative in ingredients)- a bake off of truly inedible portions! Stanley and Manjit are determined to be the ultimate Biscuit Kings, however, with their cough syrup-based 'Manley' biscuit recipe.
For me , the show-and-tell scenes steal the show - so recognisable an event to any teachers and pupils reading this book. We join 4B in a riotous, random revealing of various items and talents to showcase the class; undeniable uniqueness (including Manjit's attempt to be the first Human Boy to Drink a Cup of Milk While Spinning), all in the pursuit of the Joy of Winning (obviously Headteacher, Mrs Bottomley Blunt, NEVER gives actual prizes).
This engaging, laugh-out-loud story is all wonderfully enhanced, from start to finish, by fabulous illustrations by Rikin Parekh, that bring the characters personalities' completely to life. Joyous and silly, this is perfect for those looking for a chapter book to read as a newly independent reader and would be utterly charming as a book to read with a whole class to bring laughter to storytime.
160 pages / Ages 6+ / Reviewed by Jenny Caddick, teacher
Reviews
The Worst Class in the World
Joanna Nadin
Review
I am currently a Year 4 Form teacher in a small Prep school and by coincidence my form, 4P, has only 9 pupils; so right from the start The Worst Class in the World resonated with me. However, fortunately the similarities stopped there! Joanne Nadin has managed, without a doubt, to replicate the bickering that happens to varying degrees in all primary classrooms. The kind of 'he said, she said,' tales familiar to every teacher and parent of young children.
The Worst Class in the World is written as two short chapters: The Biscuit King and Show and Tell, using language that will easily be recognised by most newly independent readers. The 'Could you be in the Worst Class in the World?' and the' Which member of the WCitW would be your best friend?' quizzes that follow are a great way to leave the reader chuckling right up to the end.
Nadin's ability to describe the children, the school setting and the children's antics will not fail to amuse most children, while still be easily identifiable with individuals and schools every reader will know personally. From the larger than average Harvey Barlow, who is often mistaken for a member of Year 6, to Mr Nidgett, the unfortunate class teacher who firmly believes that everything can be mended with kindness. Even the school playground has those aptly described 'less popular' hangout areas, such as the Smelly Death Log, i.e. the hollow log with the bird poo on it, which no one even goes near unless they are up to no good.
This book would be great for those newly independent readers who have yet to find their 'hook book', those young children who still find reading a little bit of a chore. Written in a way that keeps its reader at the centre of the action, you can almost hear the playground banter around you. As for the Headteacher, Mrs Bottomley-Blunt with her horse-like noises, the less said about her the better, particularly as she is certain that 4B are the worst!
The Worst Class in the World is brilliantly illustrated by Rikin Parekh, whose clever black and white drawings throughout the book bring to life every awful aspect of the Worst Class in the World, literally! From Burping Bruce Bingley to the rather less than appetising cooking escapades of Stanley and Manjit.
A great book for any reluctant lower KS2 reader.
160 pages / Ages 7+ / Reviewed by Samantha Phillips, teacher
Reviewed by: Samantha Phillips
The Worst Class in the World
Joanna Nadin
Review
LITERALLY, one of the most hilarious books I have read in a long time. Fast, funny and full of 'fiddle faddling'. There are delightful, charismatic kids, an endearing (totally harassed)class teacher and an always looming, bad tempered, horse-braying Headteacher.
The Worst Class In The World by Joanna Nadin is an absolutely gleeful celebration of all sorts of school mischief and chaos that can be had with the infamous class 4B. The class biscuit battle is deliciously gross (and extremely creative in ingredients)- a bake off of truly inedible portions! Stanley and Manjit are determined to be the ultimate Biscuit Kings, however, with their cough syrup-based 'Manley' biscuit recipe.
For me , the show-and-tell scenes steal the show - so recognisable an event to any teachers and pupils reading this book. We join 4B in a riotous, random revealing of various items and talents to showcase the class; undeniable uniqueness (including Manjit's attempt to be the first Human Boy to Drink a Cup of Milk While Spinning), all in the pursuit of the Joy of Winning (obviously Headteacher, Mrs Bottomley Blunt, NEVER gives actual prizes).
This engaging, laugh-out-loud story is all wonderfully enhanced, from start to finish, by fabulous illustrations by Rikin Parekh, that bring the characters personalities' completely to life. Joyous and silly, this is perfect for those looking for a chapter book to read as a newly independent reader and would be utterly charming as a book to read with a whole class to bring laughter to storytime.
160 pages / Ages 6+ / Reviewed by Jenny Caddick, teacher
Reviewed by: Jenny Caddick
The Worst Class in the World
Joanna Nadin
Review
Class 4B at St. Regina's Primary are not just the worst class in the school, they are the worst class in the world! While swotty 4A win all the prizes, 4B are more likely to be found spilling milk all over Mr. Nidgett's Emergency Shoes, getting plastic brontosauruses stuck up nostrils, or eating so many illicit biscuits they make themselves sick.
Divided into 2 short stories, and with copious hilarious illustrations, The Worst Class in the World is a perfect introduction to chapter books for newly confident or reluctant readers.
The Biscuit King concerns who can win the Battle of the Biscuits by making the best snacks to secretly sell at playtime and hence either become a billionaire or save the whales. In Show and Tell, 4B have to up their previously poor Show and Tell game for Mrs Bottomley-Blunt's 'Grand Show and Tell Assembly', and this time they've been promised a PRIZE (not just The Joy of Winning) so they'd better come up with something better than a packet of crisps or a broken toy robot.
Despite the silliness, The Worst Class in the World presents a very realistic and recognisable portrait of primary school life, from the niggly arguments, one-up-man-ship and friendship tug-of-wars to the constant use of 'LITERALLY', the bit of the playground no-one wants to hang out in (the Smelly Death Log) and long-suffering Mr Nidgett's repeated promises to resign from teaching to become a llama farmer.
Perfect for fans of Dirty Bertie, Wigglesbottom Primary or Joanna Nadin's previous Penny Dreadful stories, The Worst Class in the World is an excellent addition to the early chapter books genre, as well as potentially being a great quick class reader for Y2.
160 pages / Ages 6+ / Reviewed by Carol Carter, school librarian
