Going Green

The Secret Knock Club #3

by Louise Bonnett-Rampersaud, Adam McHeffey (Illustrator)

The Secret Knock Club is going green!

Agnes and the other Secret Knock Club members are excited to be paired with kindergarten buddies, who need help learning to read. The younger kids are so adorable! Agnes dreams up a special "Weed and Read" project: They spruce up the neglected school courtyard and make it a new reading space. But will Agnes and her friends be able to round up enough helpers for the courtyard cleanup? And can they collect 1,050 milk cartons in time to make a recycled reading bench? Agnes has another problem: her kindergarten buddy Heather seems more interested in Agnes's fellow club member and former nemesis, Heather. It's double Heather trouble! But maybe Kindergarten Heather is planning something just for Agnes...As the deadline for the courtyard's opening ceremony draws closer, it looks like The Secret Knock Club might be heading for a disaster. Will Agnes and her friends pull it off?

102 pages, Paperback

First published February 10, 2015

Reviews

[Connie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Agnes and the other 3rd grade members of the Secret Knock club are doing another community service project. This time they’re working with their kindergarten buddies to help clean up the courtyard at their school where students may read outside in a pleasant environment. Named the “Weed and Read” project by Agnes, the project takes many hilarious twists and turns due to a lot of unintentional errors and miscommunication. Agnes is a real take charge person who sometimes takes it a bit over the top but deep down she’s all heart as she works with her “adorable kindergartner” and learns flexibility and compassion. Going Green is a welcome addition to this enjoyable series for children grades 2 through 4.

[Pam Mooney · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book for beginning chapter readers. I love the interaction of students with their younger cohorts as well as peers. Any student reading will recognize the school organization and interactions with teachers. Very relatable and entertaining enough older students may also enjoy. I read as stand alone and will go back and pick up series now.

[Nadine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book as a stand alone even though it is the third in the series. Because the content is about third graders pairing up with kindergarten buddies, the target audience is the beginner independent chapter reader in grades 1-3 or a reluctant reader who will need the very short paragraphs and chapters in grades 3-5. I will be using it as a read along at bedtime to engage discussion of various topics such as "Do you know anyone with a speech impediment and how do you treat him or her?" or "What other things could they collect to raise money and could you do it at our school?" In particular I really liked on page 23 stating you don't say "Have a great day." but instead say "Make it a great day." That one statement alone and instituting it in the family discussion of how to make it a great day has made this book rewarding for me as an adult to read. I received a copy for review from GoodReads First Reads.

[Cosima · Rating 1 out of 5]

I almost DNFed this relatively short kid's book. The main character, Agnes, is immediately annoying. Page one and she appears to be stalking kindergartners.

"I was checking out my possibilities"
"I put my hand on the inside of the window. 'I'll be with you soon!' I said under my breath to the kindergartners."

Huhwhat?

She's bossy and condescending with her "friends" and constantly yells at them. A drama queen. What's worse, it seems like the adults around her do nothing to correct her behavior. Also, I feel there's a little too much effort to make everything Agnes thinks or says come off as "cutesy" and it has the opposite effect. Examples:

"Fudgy used his regular eyeballs to look up the aisle."
"I smiled at her cuteness." (I saw this at least 3 times)
"Her teacher eyeballs checked out the rest of the place."
"I put huffy eyes on her."

-_-

Honestly, if Agnes were a real kid I'd be afraid to leave my kid around her.

[Cheyenne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great edition the the series. The Secret Knock Club's school has a special buddy program where third graders get assigned to be a buddy with a kindergarten kid. Agnes gets assigned to Kindergarten-Heather. Agnes wants to make this year's buddy program extra special, so Agnes or Kindergarten-Heather, comes up with the idea to clean up the schools courtyard so the students will have a great place to read. The Weed and Read event! There's some bumps along the way, stolen lunches, a lost Hoppy, a bug out break and Kindergarten-Stealing-Heather, but Agnes stays flexible and it all works out in the end.

[Silea · Rating 1 out of 5]

It's really saying something about how dreadful a kids' book is if an adult can't manage to finish it.

Agnes is one of the most obnoxious characters i've ever encountered. In the few chapters i managed to get through, the single best trait about her was that she was unfailingly condescending.

I like the idea of public-service oriented kids, but this story verged on literally painful to read. It will not be on the kids' shelf for them to find and read.