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Mr. Bambuckle: Rule the School
The perfect book for middle school boys and readers of Sideways Stories from Wayside School and My Weird School! Mr. Rule the School is the perfect gift for preteen boys and chapter book for kids 9-12.
The class in room 12B has a new teacher, one who's a little wacky and knows how to make learning fun! But not everybody agrees with his unique teaching methods...
There's never been a new teacher like Mr. Bambuckle. Who else rides a unicycle while flipping bacon in a pan and wearing a dazzling blue suit? Magic tricks aside, Mr. Bambuckle is kind of the best. He gets to know each and every one of his students, and makes learning exciting and fun!
But Principal Sternblast is not impressed with Mr. Bambuckle's teaching methods, and is determined to get rid of him...
The class in room 12B has a new teacher, one who's a little wacky and knows how to make learning fun! But not everybody agrees with his unique teaching methods...
There's never been a new teacher like Mr. Bambuckle. Who else rides a unicycle while flipping bacon in a pan and wearing a dazzling blue suit? Magic tricks aside, Mr. Bambuckle is kind of the best. He gets to know each and every one of his students, and makes learning exciting and fun!
But Principal Sternblast is not impressed with Mr. Bambuckle's teaching methods, and is determined to get rid of him...
- GenresChildrens
171 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 7, 2019
6 people are currently reading
22 people want to read
About the author
Tim Harris
266 books28 followersLibrarian Note:
There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
This profile may contain books from multiple authors of this name.
There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
This profile may contain books from multiple authors of this name.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
September 6, 2019
I read a review copy supplied by Kid Lit Exchange. All opinions are my own.
I have never done this--told people not to buy a book. I have read books I didn’t like, and mostly I’ll review those on Goodreads or not at all. I understand that authors pour a big part of themselves into their books and sometimes a book is just not for me. But this book that looks so appealing and cute has some major problems that I can’t get past. My review is very different from the others I have read.
1. Mr. Bambuckle is the cool new teacher replacing the old, stuffy one who left. He is described as having a caramel colored tan that “suggested he spent a great deal of time outdoors. Either that or he was from a distant overseas country.” WHAT?! Why are those the only 2 options? Either his white skin has been tanned or he’s foreign? Why can’t he just be a cool brown-skinned teacher? I read this line to my own children, without commentary, and their reactions were the same as mine. Not cool.
2. Chapter 2 is titled “The Washing Machine from Hell.” This book was originally published in Australia. While the language might fly there, that language from children in North Carolina, USA, will raise some major eyebrows. The publisher should know that.
3. Same chapter, there is a creepy guy selling appliances. He makes Evie’s skin crawl, but her mom gives him permission to use the key in the potted plant to let himself in the house WHEN THE GIRL IS THERE ALONE, saying that she’s just easily frightened! “I try to ignore thoughts about Chap Spark coming into our house when I’m alone. I try to ignore it all. But I can’t.” HELLO???!!! Also, this is in a humorous book. There is nothing funny about her “gut feeling”. Not only does she not speak up, she is later congratulated for being brave, the exact opposite of what I want little girls to learn. Trigger warning!
Yes, I read the entire book. The rest is cute and funny, but I will not purchase in light of the things above.
I have never done this--told people not to buy a book. I have read books I didn’t like, and mostly I’ll review those on Goodreads or not at all. I understand that authors pour a big part of themselves into their books and sometimes a book is just not for me. But this book that looks so appealing and cute has some major problems that I can’t get past. My review is very different from the others I have read.
1. Mr. Bambuckle is the cool new teacher replacing the old, stuffy one who left. He is described as having a caramel colored tan that “suggested he spent a great deal of time outdoors. Either that or he was from a distant overseas country.” WHAT?! Why are those the only 2 options? Either his white skin has been tanned or he’s foreign? Why can’t he just be a cool brown-skinned teacher? I read this line to my own children, without commentary, and their reactions were the same as mine. Not cool.
2. Chapter 2 is titled “The Washing Machine from Hell.” This book was originally published in Australia. While the language might fly there, that language from children in North Carolina, USA, will raise some major eyebrows. The publisher should know that.
3. Same chapter, there is a creepy guy selling appliances. He makes Evie’s skin crawl, but her mom gives him permission to use the key in the potted plant to let himself in the house WHEN THE GIRL IS THERE ALONE, saying that she’s just easily frightened! “I try to ignore thoughts about Chap Spark coming into our house when I’m alone. I try to ignore it all. But I can’t.” HELLO???!!! Also, this is in a humorous book. There is nothing funny about her “gut feeling”. Not only does she not speak up, she is later congratulated for being brave, the exact opposite of what I want little girls to learn. Trigger warning!
Yes, I read the entire book. The rest is cute and funny, but I will not purchase in light of the things above.
June 21, 2020
"Maintain Low Tones" (Beldar Conehead)
This is a hyper-antic school daze book with a super zany hero teacher at its center. It goes for the "Wayside School" sideways stories sweet spot of slightly Dada, deeply anarchic, off the rails school humor.
Exaggeration is the key. You can't just have a cool teacher. He has to ride a unicycle. On top of his desk. While frying bacon. That's fine, and big time silliness is always welcome. It seems to me, though, that the main challenge with such books is balance and tone. And this one is all over the place.
Early on we have a remarkably scary, (and very long), story from one kid about her experience with a possessed washing machine. That stops the book dead in its tracks. We have other shaggy dog stories from other kids, and each is more random than the last. But then we have the hoary old trope of a suspicious, mean principal who hates Mr. Bambuckle. But that's balanced by the magical tea. The upshot is that you get a blenderized reading experience with a little bit of everything thrown in and wild variations in tone, content, and narrative from chapter to chapter, and sometimes page to page. The book is about sixth graders, but for me the predictable student characters read a lot younger than that.
I get the appeal of blending School Daze and Mary Poppins. I guess at bottom I prefer a strong narrative line, (as with Poppins or a Dahl), rather than a random selection of bits, (as with Wayside School). That said, there's certainly a lot of fun to be had here, and a good deal of cheerful cleverness spread about. I'm just not sure how the disjointed story and tone would work with a younger reader.
(Please note that I received a free ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
This is a hyper-antic school daze book with a super zany hero teacher at its center. It goes for the "Wayside School" sideways stories sweet spot of slightly Dada, deeply anarchic, off the rails school humor.
Exaggeration is the key. You can't just have a cool teacher. He has to ride a unicycle. On top of his desk. While frying bacon. That's fine, and big time silliness is always welcome. It seems to me, though, that the main challenge with such books is balance and tone. And this one is all over the place.
Early on we have a remarkably scary, (and very long), story from one kid about her experience with a possessed washing machine. That stops the book dead in its tracks. We have other shaggy dog stories from other kids, and each is more random than the last. But then we have the hoary old trope of a suspicious, mean principal who hates Mr. Bambuckle. But that's balanced by the magical tea. The upshot is that you get a blenderized reading experience with a little bit of everything thrown in and wild variations in tone, content, and narrative from chapter to chapter, and sometimes page to page. The book is about sixth graders, but for me the predictable student characters read a lot younger than that.
I get the appeal of blending School Daze and Mary Poppins. I guess at bottom I prefer a strong narrative line, (as with Poppins or a Dahl), rather than a random selection of bits, (as with Wayside School). That said, there's certainly a lot of fun to be had here, and a good deal of cheerful cleverness spread about. I'm just not sure how the disjointed story and tone would work with a younger reader.
(Please note that I received a free ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
July 11, 2019
Cute story with a substitute teacher that has a personality reminiscent of Willy Wonka - silly, sarcastic, contrary. He has captured the love of the students and the story is told in alternating narratives much like a younger elementary version of Mr. Terupt. The problem is that every character is a flat caricature designed for kid appeal, but with little nuance or complexity. Overall, nothing exceptional.
June 4, 2019
A little Willy Wonka, a little Mrs. Pigglewiggle, a little Mr. Terupt and a little Sideways Stories and a lot of fun... abrupt ending brings on book 2...
Both my 12 year old son and I were drawn to it:)
Both my 12 year old son and I were drawn to it:)
September 14, 2019
Stupid book. Perfect magical teacher. Vindictive principal. Unsatisfying ending, because it's a series.
April 20, 2021
I would love to have Mr. Bambuckle for a teacher! What great fun! A fun an enjoyable storyline!
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May 12, 2019This is a story about a class who ends up with a new crazy teacher. I didn't finish it because I thought it was so ridiculous.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews