Just Call Me Stupid

by Tom Birdseye

Terrified of failing and convinced that he is stupid, a fifth grader who has never learned to read begins to gain self-confidence with the help of an outgoing new girl next door

Genres: Fiction, Childrens, Realistic Fiction, Chapter Books

192 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1993

About the author

I grew up in North Carolina and Kentucky, an ardent fan of anything that smacked of sports, crawdads, mud balls, forts built in the woods, secret codes, bicycles without fenders, butter pecan ice cream, and snow. I was, however, decidedly uninterested in writing-or any academic aspect of school, for that matter-never imagining that at the age of thirty-five I would become a published author. And yet after two unrelated college degrees, a year living in Japan, and ten years of teaching experience, that is what happened. Life, it seems, is full of who'd-a-thought-its.

I live in Corvallis, Oregon, with my wife, Debbie. Our two daughters, Kelsey and Amy, are both off on their own, living and working in Portland. When not writing, working at the Vermont College of Fine Arts MFA program in creative writing, or in classrooms talking with children and teachers about the writing process, I enjoy rock climbing, alpine ascents, scaling big trees, ski mountaineering, snowshoeing, backpacking, mountain biking, running, playing the string bass, and reading.

Even after many books published and awards won, at times it still amazes me that writing is my profession. It was such a difficult process for me when I was a kid; I can really identify with the reluctant writer in school today. Everything seemed to get in the way of my completing stories: from being left-handed, to my poor spelling skills, from punctuation woes, to especially a lack of ideas. Fortunately, the right people came along at the right time and helped me see past the hurdles, emphasizing instead the joy of the work and the satisfaction to be had in trying to uncover the important truths that can come out of fiction. Now I carry a small notebook at all times and am always on the lookout for material I can use in a story: ordinary people that would make good characters, the funny, telling, or poignant glimpses of life that are triggered by what I see and hear, and the wonderfully wise things people will say at the most unexpected times.

True, I still labor through my stories, wrestling with the spelling beast and the punctuation monster, writing and rewriting, then rewriting some more, until I glean my best, but the process has become one of pleasure instead of pain. I love doing it, and I love sharing it with others. The boy who couldn't imagine himself a writer, now can't imagine himself anything else.

Reviews

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book for professors of reading who want their students to gain insight into what it’s like for their students who struggle with reading. Wonderful portrayal of different types of teachers and the impact they have on their students’ growth and motivation.

[Kinnley Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A phenomenal book for higher level readers. This tells the story of a young student who has trouble reading and the challenges he faces as he makes his way through the school year. This book highlights the importance of good teachers, friendship, and what it is like to be a student with a learning disability. It also holds appeal to the sensitive topics of concerns that come across in many schools.

[LaVonne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was about a boy who was in the fifth grade and still cannot read because of a reading disability. He has a very unstable family life. His father was an alcoholic and would lock the boy in the closet because he thought he was stupid. The boy’s confidence was finally built up when he had a new neighbor move in. He also had a good teacher who wanted him to learn and believed in the boy. When these people come into his life and he begins to get confidences and realize he is capable of reading when the neighbor helps him learn. He begins to prove he isn’t stupid.
As a teacher I could use this to help struggling students. I could show this book to my students who can’t read, or are having problems reading. This book can prove to them even if reading is a struggle right now they can turn things around and become strong readers with time.

[Florencia Real · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the 4th grade I wrote a short story and won a contest with it. I was able to go and meet a few authors and even speak to some of them. Tom Birdseye was one of the authors there and I bought "Just call me stupid" on that day & he signed it (:

[Louie the Mustache Matos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just Call Me Stupid by Tom Birdseye is a really good book about reading, teachers, and the different strategies that may be employed to help students with learning deficiencies find a better way to make their way through a book. Here, Patrick is a fifth grader, who is not a very confident reader. Despite that minor flaw, he develops a friendship with a Mexican student named Celina who happens to be reading The Sword in the Stone when they meet.

Patrick and Celina have similar hobbies, such as playing Chess, drawing pictures, and telling stories. They get bullied by the same jerk, simply because he feels small in his own skin. He tortures others to make himself feel larger. If the bully would demonstrate a little restraint, his actions would generate a little empathy. Yet, the reality is that his behavior engenders the opposite effect.

When the bully bloviates about writing a story to enter into a school contest, Celina tries to convince Patrick that he should enter a story that he has been telling her. The story is titled The White Knight and it's about a courageous keeper of a code of chivalry. Celina loves the story, but Patrick refuses to enter it in the contest. He feels selfish about his story because it was Celina that brought it out of him.

There are some heart wrenching moments in this story. Patrick's Dad verbally abused his son. Hence, the term Stupid from the title. Clearly, when words like stupid are used, a person may develop a lack of confidence around others and maybe even performance anxiety. This book should serve as a reminder as to the importance of restraint and candor. Good read, especially as a children's tale.

[Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just call me stupid is an all to familiar story of a struggling reader. Patrick, the main character, is overwhelmed by the thought of reading at a young age. As a fifth grader he cannot read at all and suddenly makes a friend who is encouraging towards him. He and Celina create a story in his head that he could read no matter what because he knew what it said. I think this book is good for future teachers to read to gain awareness.

[Kambry Burns]

This book highlights the importance of building off of students' strengths as a teacher. The main character, Patrick, is in fifth grade, and has trouble reading. His resource teacher is stuck in her ways, which are ways that do not work well for Patrick. By the end, Patrick wins a writing contest, but he orally told the story while another classmate wrote it. This shows the power of working with our students and finding ways to motivate them.

[Morgan Rawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing book that I would give to any student after 4th or 5th grade, but specifically i think giving this book to a struggling reader. I suggest a struggling Student because I think they would really connect with Patrick like I did. When reading this book I would mention would be a discussing of derogatory names and how they are not to be used in the classroom.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tom Birdseye uses fantastic imagery and sensory descriptions to portray the feelings of the main character and his battle to learn how to read. I'm always on the lookout for books that my struggling readers can identify with. This book is truly a gem I was fortunate to stumble across.

[Teghan Copeland · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book will make you think about many perspectives such as the teachers, the struggling student, and the family and friends. It was very eye opening and make me think a lot about the students that struggle with reading and how they feel. As well as the teachers of the students that are trying to find ways to help them. It was a very good book and easy to read.

[Gladys Yates · Rating 4 out of 5]

Young Adult

[Ruthi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was in the third grade when I first read this book and it was one of the first books that ever changed my viewpoint on something in life. I've always been a rather voracious reader and I had always been far above the rest of my classmates in English and History classes when I was still in school. The fact that I had a math learning disability should have made me humble in the two classes I was good at, but it did not. I treated math as some mystical, exotic, foreign language that not everyone could understand but I treated anything that had predominately reading or writing exercises as something anyone who had English as their first language (which everyone did at my small, private, religious school) should be able to accomplish & accomplish it easily & well and I was snotty about it. I wasn't mean. I wouldn't tease anyone or go out of my way to show up any one particular student, but I wasn't kind, either. Looks can cut a person to slices just as easily as a mean word can and I was very free with the looks I would give to the slow readers in class.
This is the book that made me realize how I felt about math was how some felt about my favorite subjects. The same embarrassment, humiliation and terrified, anxious panic attacks I would get at having to attempt any math problem in public was the same feelings they were getting while I rolled my eyes because they were taking too long on one sentence.
It also taught me the perfect piece of advice, "Be kind for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle," in a way that I could understand as a child and in a way that has stuck with me throughout the rest of my life, no matter how many books I have read. In fact, I still own my signed copy- the same one I found second hand all those many years ago when I was in the third grade.

[Ashley Melton · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Just Call Me Stupid" is about a fifth grade boy named Patrick Lowe who cannot read. Whenever he is pressured to read or is called stupid by his teacher or classmates, his body feels heavy and it is hard for him to breathe. A few times in the book, Patrick will flashback to his father's alcoholism and shouting that Patrick is "STUPID". The author, Tom Birdseye, makes it very clear to the readers that Patrick has enough stress at home and him not being able to read puts him over the edge to the point where he avoids reading all together. He soon becomes friends with his new neighbor, Celina who is a very talented reader that has the same interest in knights as Patrick. Towards the end of the book, Patrick realizes that he's had a support team all along, his mom, Celina and his classroom teacher Mrs. Romeros. I would use this book in my future practice as a teacher as part of my bibliotherapy library because the main character can be very relatable to students who struggle with reading. The book also inspires ideas for differentiated instruction for ELL students and students with learning disabilities.

[Paige Kuhn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a story about a boy named Patrick, who has problems with reading. His problems stem from his father, who is no longer present calling him "stupid" and locking him in a closet at a young age. As he grew older his problems continued with insensitive teachers, bullies and his own insecurities. A girl named Celina starts to work with Patrick and helps him overcome his fear of reading, but she doesn't always remain loyal to Patrick. After her betrayal, Mrs. Romero and Patrick's mother finally help him fully overcome his fear of reading and find pleasure in books.

I would use this book in my classroom to tell my students through this book, that it is reading problems are nothing to be ashamed of and that everyone learns in different ways and that others shouldn't be teased because of their differences. This book has an amazing life lesson within it and I highly recommend it for young adult readers.

Word count: 161

[Swan Bender · Rating 5 out of 5]

The kids and I loved this story of a young boy in sixth (?) grade who was still unable to decipher the letters of words enough to read them and follow along with their understanding. He accepted what others called him ‘stupid’ but he was an excellent artist and had other talents and was simply too hard on himself. Of course it didn’t help that his father (who was no longer in the picture) had abused him as a little one and also called him stupid. Every time he felt trapped by his inability he would feel the walls starting to close in on him…the poor guy. With the help and support of his friend Celina, his teacher and his mother he ends up finding himself through art and The Sword and the Stone.

[Benjamin · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are a teacher or librarian, please recommend it to your students! This book helped me as a fourth-grader in two ways (1) sometimes I thought that I was better than other students because I did better at school than them, and this story was from the perspective of someone who struggles to read and (2) sometimes I worried that I was stupid because I never remembered to do my homework and sometimes I didn’t pay attention in class because I was reading. It helped shape my perspective. (Also, he has a mild crush on the girl in the story, and this was about the time I had my first crush, so it had that without being a “girly romance”).

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was very interesting read because of the emotional turmoil of the main character. For a children's book, it does a great job with the imagery, particularly when Patrick is frustrated or angry about certain events. Also, it does a great job describing his Southwestern middle school. For a chapter book, the imagery on the front cover also captures the silliness and playfulness of the characters. I could sympathize with Mrs. Romero as she and Celina helped him along. This also hits home as a teacher because I can see my students' frustrations culminate into their behaviors, like Patrick. Overall, it is an excellent children's chapter book.

[Abby Young · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a sweet book! The book is obviously intended for younger readers, but offers something for students and teachers alike. The story follows Patrick, a reluctant reader, and his friendship with a neighbor classmate, Celina. Their friendship is the fuel that ignites Patrick's interest to read. The book demonstrates the power of just a few supportive people in one individual's life. The story will be a quick read for the majority of adults, but could be beneficial for many parents that are struggling to understand their student's difficulty with reading.

[Vanessa Lueras]

This book is relatable to because sometimes people have a harder time grasping certain concepts and then they get discouraged and do not feel as smart as they really. This book is helpful to read because people feel like they are stupid when they don't understand something and that is not the case. It is nice to have someone who will help the person get to their goal and believe in them and young readers will need the reassurance throughout their childhood. The students can write about a time where they felt like they could not do something but had someone to believe them to do.

[Tara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book! I came to understand how painful it can be to struggle with reading. I also learned how important it is to be positive and encouraging to students (despite struggles or mistakes) and that it makes a difference when we believe in them and trust them with their learning. I also saw the difference that can be made when you know your student's strengths and use that knowledge.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel this is a wonderful book! It would be useful to use with older elementary children or young middle school children. It is an easy read, with a theme that applies to many children school age children, learning to read. I loved the emotional connection this book povided. You really feel for the main character. His childhood pain is reflected in the teasing he has to edure through his struggle in school. The common thread, passion, hope, and triumph of this book make it a great read.

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was an excellent book, especially for currant teachers, aspiring teachers, and a wide range of children. It gives an insight into how a child who is struggling with reading might feel and can encouragement to struggling readers. I would recommend this book and am grateful I was asked to read it.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was alright. It definately showed some informative aspects of a struggling reader. It could be used to help people understand the difficulties of not being able to read and how it affects the individual as well as the people around them. It is a simple predictable book with a surprising ending!

[Shaley Dunn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book! After reading it I wanted to read it again. It is about a boy that shut himself off from everyone at school because he was scared he would get made fun of. This made him an outsider in class, until he finds one person that will accept him Celina. This book is about accepting people and showing the kids to help each other get along. It is text to text with "Crow Boy."

[Amycoy7 coy]

This book is a great book for chapter readers in elementary school. It gives a glimpse into the struggles of a child who can't read and doesn't have the motivation and self esteem to overcome this obstacle, until he meets some special people who help him believe in himself.

[Joyce Munzwandi]

Its a rather sad story but teaches students to be positive about themselves and their abilities. Its definitely for 5th grade. Students can write or discuss about how they can help others to build their self confidence.

[Tasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book really opened your eyes to how it feels to be a struggling reader. The most important thing that I learned from this book was to not give up on your students and to always believe in them.

[R Bradseth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, what an amazing book! I couldn't put it down. It was fascinating and heartbreaking to see the struggles this kid faced. It reminds me what not to do and also what to do as a future teacher.