Purple Climbing Days

The Kids of the Polk Street School #9

by Patricia Reilly Giff

What's worse than a blue Monday?  For Richard "Beast" Best, it's a purple Monday spent climbing a fat brown rope with fat brown knots.



Beast wishes he could climb up that rope like Emily Arrow and Matthew Jackson.  Just looking at it hanging down from the gym ceiling makes him dizzy



Beast is afraid and hopes his friends won't find out.  But Mrs. Miller, the meanest substitute teacher in the whole school, finds out his secret and tells him to meet her in the gym after school.  Miller the Killer. What will she do to him?

Genres: Childrens, Fiction, Middle Grade

80 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1985

About the author

Patricia Reilly Giff was an American author and educator whose warm, emotionally resonant books made her a beloved figure in children's literature. After spending roughly two decades as a teacher, she turned to writing and brought a deep understanding of young readers to stories that balanced humor, resilience, and emotional truth. Educated at Marymount Manhattan College, St. John's University, and Hofstra University, she drew on both her classroom experience and literary instincts to create memorable fiction for children and middle-grade readers. She became especially well known for the popular Polk Street School series, which captured the everyday dramas of school life with charm and empathy. Beyond those books, she wrote acclaimed novels such as Lily's Crossing, Nory Ryan's Song, Pictures of Hollis Woods, Eleven, and Genevieve's War, often exploring themes of belonging, family, hardship, and courage. Her work earned wide recognition, including Newbery Honors, an ALA Best Book for Young Adults designation, and a Christopher Award. Giff also influenced younger writers through her workshops and teaching spirit. Throughout her career, she remained a compassionate literary voice whose stories spoke directly to children's fears, hopes, and imaginations.

Reviews

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars — What a great story! In this one, Richard “Beast” Best is afraid to climb the rope in gym, and really, he is not just afraid, he is terrified. He gets a reprieve when Mr. Bell, the gym teacher, is absent because classes won’t climb the rope with Mrs. “Miller the Killer” substitute. He also gets a distraction when his class gets a new class pet: a skink. He doesn’t learn a lesson, though, until a challenge makes him pick up the skink, which then loses its tail because - wait for it - it’s afraid of Richard. Who causes him to realize that? Mrs. Miller. And not only that, but the Killer helps him overcome his own fear by helping him climb the rope after school one day. What a sub! She totally ruins her reputation of being the meanest one ever. Sadly, I still can’t give one of these 5 stars. I know these kids are young. I know that they have no filter and can be cruel. But I want better examples for them and reasons why they shouldn’t be that way.

[Gina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a pretty good book. I liked that the book taught Richard to conquer his fears.

[Sharon Buxton · Rating 2 out of 5]

C. fiction, children, early elementary; boy overcomes fear, from stash, discard