About Average - Andrew Clements

About Average

Andrew Clements
Mark Elliott (Illustrator)
Atheneum Books for Young Readers
A Division of Simon and Schuster
ISBN 9781416997245
ISBN 9781416997252
ASIN B0061QAYRG

I have read 14 books by Andrew Clements in the last 8 months. With each book I have a greater appreciation for him as an author, and for his understanding of children and their development. Most of his books are wonderful realistic reads, and this book lives up to all my expectations. Andrew Clements is one of my all-time favorite authors for children's books or middle grade reads. And this book will speak to everyone who thinks they are not the star, the athlete, in the in group. But it deals with both a girl's self-image and how she decides to handle being bullied. 

Jordan Johnson has a very realistic outlook on life. She has come to the conclusion that she is average. She sees herself as middle of the road in all things. Not overweight and not underweight, neither tall nor short, and not blond nor brunette. She does not excel at school, but she is also not towards the bottom of the class. She sees herself as ordinary, and she compares herself with others, other people at school, images from magazines and television. Other people are remarkable, incredible, beautiful, talented, and some even gifted. But she worked hard, maybe harder than most and that discipline could possible take her further than natural gifting. But she has also been bullied for a number of years and she has decided to conquer the bulling with kindness. But making that decision and sticking with it are two very different things.

But sometimes in a moment a person's life can change. And that is exactly what happens to Jordan. For as the Tornado warning sirens are blaring Jordan see's the big picture and steps up to take charge. So everyone will know that she is special and why.

Andrew Clements does an amazing job of capturing the experience of children; their emotions, their experiences, their hopes and their fears. In this book he captures the internal dialogue, dreams, hopes and aspirations that can cross children's minds. And maybe even adults who read the books also. 

This is another excellent read by Andrew Clements and I highly recommend it.  

Books by Andrew Clements:
Bird Adalbert
Noah and the Ark and the Animals
Santa's Secret Helper
Temple Cat
Mother Earth's Counting Book
Billy and the Bad Teacher
Who Owns the Cow
Bright Christmas: An Angel Remembers
Frindle 
(Adapter)Philipp's Birthday Book
Riff's BeBop Book
Real Monsters Go for the Mold
Things That Go EEK on Halloween
Real Monsters Stage Fright
Music Time, Any Time
Double Trouble in Walla Walla
Workshop
Gromble's Haunted Halloween
Hey Dad, Could I Borrow Your Hammer
The Landry News
Look Who's in the Thanksgiving Play
The Mouse Family
The Janitor's Boy
Circus Family Dog
The Christmas Kitten
The School Story
Things Not Seen 
The Jacket 
A Week in the Woods
Slippers at Home
Naptime for Slippers
The Report Card
The Last Holiday Concert
Slippers at School
Slippers Loves to Run
A Million Is a Lot of Dots
Lunch Money
Things Hoped For
Room One: A Mystery or Two
No Talking
Things That Are
Lost and Found
Extra Credit
Troublemaker
About Average
The Map Trap
The Friendship War
The Losers Club
...

Pets to the Rescue Series
Ringo Saves the Day!
Brave Norman
Tara and Tiree, Fearless Friends
Delores and the Big Fire

Jake Drake Series
Jake Drake Know-It-All
Jake Drake, Bully Buster
Jake Drake, Teacher's Pet
Jake Drake, Class Clown

Benjamin Pratt and the Keepers of the School Series
We the Children
Fear Itself
The Whites of Their Eyes
In Harm's Way
We Hold These Truths

Reading program Books
Karen's Island
Three Wishes for Buster
Bill Picket: An American Original, Texas Style
Hurricane Andrew
Ham and Eggs for Jack
Life in the Desert
Desert Treasure
Inventors: Making Things Better, Steck-Vaughn
Milo's Great Invention