By Bryan R. Johnson
Candy Wrapper 2017
104 pages Children
The Shortlist
Just in time for the new school year. Bryan R. Johnson takes
on creativity, original thinking, responsibility, bullying, and other
elementary school concerns in the middle grade book, Code 7: Cracking the Code for an
Epic Life. Jefferson practices his gift of art by painting a mural on
the Flint Hill Elementary School wall. Sebastian tries to raise money for a
computer game by making taffy—with disastrous results. Alec decides to defy his
parents and not clean his room, ever. Samantha covets the part in the school
play that Trista has bullied her way to getting.
Johnson identifies common elementary school challenges and
helps young readers realize that the problems they face are not unusual and can be solved with creativity and energy. Code 7: Cracking the Code for an Epic Life
has an accompanying website with many
features to use in the classroom or at home. The author suggests that each
child create his/her own code word and share it on the website. There is also a
discussion guide and suggestions for classroom activities. The book, website,
and activities will be very helpful and inspiring for classroom teachers
without being didactic. It seems that the book would work best in 3-5th
grade classrooms.
The Kirkus
review says: “Code 7 is a staple
for every school library and a valuable resource for educators who wish to grow
motivated and socially responsible citizens in the classroom. Fun, vivid, and
easy to read, this book is about understanding your passions, choosing a
project that inspires you, and applying that to those who might need a helping
hand. How can one possibly go wrong with that?”
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