SPACEMAN

by Jane Cutler

Gary has so many problems, it's hard to tell where one ends and the next begins. He can't seem to make friends, and no matter how hard he tries in school, he never catches up. He "spaces out" sometimes when things just seem too difficult. One day, while his brain is on a break, he accidentally hurts another student. After that, he is sent to a special school for students with learning disabilities. The very gifted teacher there and friends he makes help the Spaceman come back to Earth.

146 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1997

Reviews

[Naomi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was just fine. It's a simple book that tells a good story. I am pretty sure this was one of the books I saved. Someone was throwing books away in the recycle center box, but I saw it and just took it. Now that I'm done reading it, it can continue to live, because I won't throw it away or recycle it. I'll take it to a Little Free Library near me today when I go for a walk. I think a lot of teachers, parents and students might benefit from reading this book. People do learn in many different ways, and it IS a challenge sometimes to figure out which way you, or another guy, learns best. My favorite part of this book was when Gary and Jesse make cookie dough and then decide they like the dough better than they like cookies, so they just split the dough in two bowls and eat it. And it sounds like (although this is hard to believe!) they ate ALL the dough. I always wanted to eat a lot of dough but I never could. A few spoonsful and I would always be so full and aching in the belly if I tried to eat more. I liked this part especially: "They sat close together on the steps, giggling and eating cookie batter. Everything seemed funny." I get that. And I loved that this was boys. Because girls are more notorious for doing this, but I also know boys do too! Ha! Maybe it was the camaraderie of their new friendship or maybe it was the sugar from the dough, but yay. I love moments like this with a friend, and yes, sometimes every single thing seems funny! It's great.

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl · Rating 1 out of 5]

A strangely written book about learning disabilities and education. At times, it's really hard to understand where the author is going with this book and what points she is trying to make. It seems like she took outdated teaching methods & attitudes and tried to place them in this book. Mostly, "Special" ways of learning and "Special" ways of teaching are emphasized.

Spaceman is based at least in part on a real special education teacher named Mrs. Stone whose fictional character in the story is Mrs. Block. Cutler makes a little joke with this toward the end.

"Well, that's just dandy Mrs. Stone," said Gary's father.
"Block", she corrected him, "Mrs. Block."

In the beginning, we are introduced to Gary, who gets the name "Spaceman" because he spaces out, sometimes twirling his hands (as depicted on the book's front cover) when he wants to escape a situation. Toward the end he of the story Gary's behavior of escapism is compared to a balloon floating further and further away from confrontation then back when things calm down.

After a series of incidents and tests at his regular school, he is informed he will be enrolled in a special education class full-time.

"Starting tomorrow, a minibus will pick you up at your house and take you home after school, too. But today you can walk. Just follow the path on up the hill to the next building. When you get there give this folder to the teacher. Her name is Mrs. Block , and she's expecting you."

Gary didn't even know there was a building over that hill. He had never heard of this special education class. How scary would that be? Couldn't someone have walked over with him? When he arrives children are outside playing, apparently unsupervised.

One of Gary's new classmates is Jesse who is wearing no shoes. Jesse must turn in his shoes each day to the teacher so he can't run away. Jesse tries to introduce Gary to Mrs. Block but she doesn't make it very easy. Listed here are just two examples of attempts to approach the teacher taking up 3 whole pages in the book:
"Excuse me, Mrs. Block," Jesse said politely.

"You're excused," said the teacher. She put her glasses back on and started to work again...
Jesse took a deep breath and tried again.
"Mrs. Block. Here's a new kid."
"Kid?" Mrs. Block answered, not even looking up this time. "A baby goat? No, thank you. Not today. I put up with a lot in this class, but not with barnyard creatures."

Gary's first assignment is to study a sleeping baby for an hour and report to Mrs. Block. Gary, after several other descriptors, declares that the baby is "babyish" and Mrs. Block is thrilled.

One of Gary's new classmates has a physical disability which readers are given incorrect information about. "'Marshall is telling you that he has disease called Cerebral Palsy,' Mrs. Block told Gary." (Cerebral Palsy is not a disease).

Besides Marshall and Jessie, another student is Amanda whose main assignment seems to be walking around outside, trying to train a real puppy named Shasta. Gary thinks Shasta has a learning disability too, because the puppy project isn't making much progress. Gary suggests using hot dogs to bribe Shasta and Mrs. Block thinks that might work for kids too. "As usual, Gary wasn't sure whether Mrs. Block was joking or not."

Here's one more glimpse into Mrs. Block's classroom, which I think really takes the cake:

"This is just like an old-fashioned one-room schoolhouse. We have a bunch of kids, no two alike, and only one teacher to run the whole show. We're like pioneers in the olden days. Everybody in this class does everything. All we need to be like a real old-timey school is a wood burning stove and switch."
"A switch?"
"A long willow branch or something like that. Something for the teacher to smack the pupils with. Like in the good old days." Mrs. Block thought for a moment. "Actually, I think sometimes they used to hit the kids with a ruler. I've got a ruler around here somewhere."

I think there's just a bit too much "specialness" to this children's book and quite frankly, I'm surprised it's still in print.

[Dawn · Rating 1 out of 5]

In this book, Gary has problems reading, interacting with other students, and has trouble reading. Although parts of this book reminded me of Louis Sachar's wonderful There's A Boy in the Girl's Bathroom, sadly, I also was distracted and found it difficult to read this book. Despite the fact that I listened to it on tape from BARD.
Why?
Well, to start with, Gary's classmates and teacher in the fifth grade are universally jerks. But then, that is completely understandable as Gary is different. Gary's teacher tells him in front of the class to collect his things as he's going forever into special ed, and does so in front of other students. This made me wonder why he hadn't had Gary clean out his desk the end of the previous day, but the public nature of the announcement made sense for a jerk character and was cringe-worthy as it should be. Then things get strange. Gary is supposed to go to one special ed classroom but ends up going to another because of behavioral problems. The problem? The behavior in question is so mild that no one should take it seriously. But I chalked that one up to possible idiotic school districts and went on.
So Gary goes to a classroom with a wide variety of students with a variety of disabilities, almost none of which is behavioral. His teacher is an odd woman, who, while I can see how students could learn from her positive reinforcement, also says things that many students might find confusing and frustrating, and a minor parts of speech. I had issues with this character.
Why?an
Audiobooks, and books in large print are described as for the "partially blind."
A student with cerebral palsy is described as having "a disease called cerebral palsy."
The problems I had with these were glaring and annoying. Most of these terms are used by people who have no experience with disabilities, or, in the case of "partially blind," as a sometimes easier explanation to the general public. But a woman with the experience the teacher is stated as having should use "partially sighted" or "visually impaired" etc. as terms. That's minor. But cerebral palsy is not, by definition, a disease. You can't catch it. It is not progressive, as some diseases are -- it doesn't get worse like MS, for example. This is a large character mistake.
I like the fact that Gary's parents are not particularly interested in his school, and was surprised Gary was allowed to sit in on their meeting. In most cases, this probably wouldn't happen until Gary was older.
Strangely, this is the only book I have read that talks about audiobooks for the disabled at all. That's a good thing to put in a book. It doesn't discuss where they came from, but then Gary likely wouldn't know. Gary almost seems to have too quick a turn around in his confidence though. What happens when he mixes with other students and is now in a day class?
All in all, this was a strange book about special ed. Gary learns his diagnosis and how he learns best but doesn't learn why -- but maybe in this stage of his life, he's more interested in regaining confidence in school.
I don't need to read this book again. I read it through BARD, an audiobook service for the blind, handicapped, and dyslexic -- one of the services Gary likely used in this book.

[Kimberlyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Title: "Spaceman"
Author: "Jane Cutler
Publisher: Dutton Chldren's Books
Pub. Date: 1997

Genre: Exceptional Learner - Contemporary Fiction Novel
Grades: 4-8

This story is about a 5th grade boy named Gary, who is having problems in school. Gary starts out in the regular education classroom, but things have gotten worse this year. With a teacher and classmates that always make him feel worse, he gets where he cannot handle the pressure. When Gary has these moments, he spaces out. One day it all builds up and he hurts another student. The teachers finally figure out that Gary has a learning disability. Gary is changed to another school and class. The teacher in this new special education class is very patient with Gary. She finally teaches him that it is okay to be different from everyone else and that everyone does not learn exactly the same way. Gary's dad is in denial that his son has a problem, and his mom wants what is best for Gary. After time for adjustment, Gary finally starts to improve and he does not space out as much. The new teacher even gives a positive parent-teacher conference with Gary's parents. Gary's parents become encouraged and he finally starts to like school.

Activities:
1. Write encouragement notes to Gary and to two other students in our classroom. These notes are to encourage and to be positive.

2. Students can write their own story in their journals about a child who has had a rough start in school and also write how the problem was fixed or can be fixed. (Problem-solution)

[Duane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gary doesn't understand why the world he lives in isn't like the world everybody around him experiences. His mind just doesn't work like everybody else. Life in the 5th grade is just so hard and he's nothing like the other kids in his class. He's walking in their world, but he can't communicate with any of them. Then an accident on the playground leads him to the Special Education program at his school and he begins to find a world that he understands, and better yet, he finds other people his age who understand him. Is being a "weirdo" okay as long as they're others who feel the same way? Gary learns that being different is okay as long as you're okay with yourself. A great book for young people who are struggling with learning disabilities or just self esteem issues.

[Cws]

JAR4-Cut

[Tushar Prasad · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent read.

[Pam Bales · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good read - special education classroom, in 1999 so some of the situations may see a little outdated, but of course, it was written fifteen years ago.