Mr. Macky Is Wacky

My Weird School #15

by Dan Gutman, Jim Paillot (Illustrator)

Mr. Macky dresses up as Abraham Lincoln to get the students at Ella Mentry School excited about their Presidents' Day oral reports.

Genres: Humor, Fiction, Childrens, Audiobook, Chapter Books, Juvenile, School

93 pages, Paperback

First published December 26, 2006

About the author

The author of over 80 books in a little over a decade of writing, Dan Gutman has written on topics from computers to baseball. Beginning his freelance career as a nonfiction author dealing mostly with sports for adults and young readers, Gutman has concentrated on juvenile fiction since 1995. His most popular titles include the time-travel sports book Honus and Me and its sequels, and a clutch of baseball books, including The Green Monster from Left Field. From hopeful and very youthful presidential candidates to stunt men, nothing is off limits in Gutman's fertile imagination. As he noted on his author Web site, since writing his first novel, They Came from Centerfield, in 1994, he has been hooked on fiction. "It was fun to write, kids loved it, and I discovered how incredibly rewarding it is to take a blank page and turn it into a WORLD."

Gutman was born in New York City in 1955, but moved to Newark, New Jersey the following year and spent his youth there.

Reviews

[Kcrosland · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mr. Macky was Wacky because he would read any and everything,reading is something everyone has to learn to do, but who walks around holding a can of soup reading the lable. When AJ ask Mr. Macky what was his favorite move he said Star Wars, he liked the beginning of the movie when the words scroll up the screen, now tell me that's not wacky. Mr. Macky came to AJ class dress up as Abraham Lincoln to teach them about the president's. They had to do a oral report on their favorite president, and talk about it on the day after President's Day in class. Mr. Macky's said his favorite president was Millard Fillmore, he kept writing his name on the black board in different way's like Fillard Millmore, Moremill Fillard, Lardfill Moremill, I told you Mr. Macky was Wacky. And who didn't know the color of the White House, Mrs. Dasiey she said the it was blue, how did she become a teacher, as AJ would say dumhead. This was the first time I had to read so many books for school on my summer vacation, but I enjoyed reading them with my mother. As you can see my favorite books were the werid school collection, they were funny me and my mom laughed a lot.

[Teresa Staton · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mr. Wacky is too wacky for me! To start with the positives, this book is funny, and it’s humor is an avenue for teaching presidential facts. I like books that can teach in a fun way. However, this book just crossed too many lines for my taste. The main character, A.J., reminds me of Junie B. Jones- except ruder. He talks meanly to his classmates, but I can excuse it (mostly) considering his age and maturity level. The biggest deal breaker for me in this story is how all the adults are portrayed as incompetent. The teacher is said to “not know anything,” and Mr. Wacky is really bizarre. At one point, he speeds in and out of the classroom, each time portraying a different president. On one of his run-ins, he “wasn’t wearing any clothes at all. He just had a towel wrapped around him!” He was representing John Quincy Adams, highlighting that he liked to go “skinny-dipping in the Potomac River near the White House.”’ That’s just too much for me- especially as I read it aloud to my son! For our family, we will pass on the rest of the My Weird School series.

[Tiffany T · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like how they are so differnt .

[Mika Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked how they did Presidents’ Day. It made my son and I laugh as well as want to learn more about the presidents.

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

We started reading the books in the My Weird School series by Dan Gutman and Jim Paillot together during storytime, but our girls have been reading them independently, which is fine with me. The books are silly and somewhat redundant, but have a clever theme that is similar to the books in the Black Lagoon series by Mike Thaler.

This story has a President's Day theme (good timing for us on this one) and is rather silly. I love the irony behind A.J.'s work on his oral report and we had fun discussing the plot of the story, especially in an election year...Mr. Wiggles for President! Our girls liked this story and I'm sure we'll be finishing this series in no time.

[Nina · Rating 3 out of 5]

A funny story about how the reading specialist at Ella Mentry School tried to promote President's Day by assigning the students to research a president and complete an oral report on one. The story has quite a bit of humor and is especially funny when Mr. Macky, dressed up as Abraham Lincoln, and the school librarian, dressed up as George Washington, get into an onstage fight in front of all the students trying to outdo one another to gain votes the "democratic" way.
Kids get a kick out of this book.

[Ashlyn Kesler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel was both informative about the presidents and wacky so it will give the students a good balance.

[Hasindu Nimsara · Rating 5 out of 5]

very funny🤣🤣🤣❤️

[May Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wacky, indeed!

In the first chapter of this book, I had several issues with AJ. If I were his mother, he would receive a spank or a pinch or whatever else for being too cocky. I mean, I know it sometimes goes into a kid's head, but as old, wise people say, it's better to cut the horns before they grow long and strong. Do you know what I mean? Anyway, as the story moved along, funny, hilarious scenes were being pitched in one after the other I found myself laughing out loud so many times. In the end, I think AJ wasn't so bad after all. But I still would want to call him out for belittling school and his teachers!

[Anthony · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's president's day and A.J. and his classmates have to do an oral report on their favorite president after they return to school after the holiday. A.J. spends his day off from school working on his oral report to show-up Andrea. Mr. Wiggles gets voted as the class president, but escapes his cage, and the Ella Mentry School students go bonkers searching for him. A.J. gives his oral report, and all he gets are weird looks from his classmates. Just another weird day at Ella Mentry School, but what makes Mr. Macky wacky?

[Katie Fuller · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a reader, "Mr Macky is Wacky" was super fun and silly. The book is about a reading coach whose name is Mr Macky. He is always doing silly things to keep students laughing. This book was really easy to read and made me want to keep reading through the whole book.

As a teacher, "Mr Macky is Wacky," I would use this book in my classroom for 2nd or 3rd graders. This could be a fun book for students to read aloud in the whole class. This book could help get students to love reading and want to continue to read.

[Pooja Banga · Rating 3 out of 5]

For use in schools and libraries only. Mr. Macky dresses up as Abraham Lincoln to get the students at Ella Mentry School excited about their Presidents' Day oral reports.
I think some scenes like teacher asking what is colour of white House was funny ..
Also teacher coming as president Jefferson as far I remember and finally last scene -rat in someone's hat..
I think overall series is good ..
Author has done great job while reading this book ..
Recommended for all ages!!
Happy reading 😊

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Presidents' Day was never so much fun as when A.J. and the gang are challenged to celebrate it with oral reports and a competition for president of the school. We laughed so hard at the no-holds-barred face-off between George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Nothing ever turns out quite the way it's supposed to in Ella Mentry School.

[Mira P · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you read "Ms TODD is odd" by the same author?
If you have and if you liked it, this might be a good book for you.
I first came across Dan Gutman's books at my school library. I thought the the titles were hilarious.
"Mr Macky is Wacky" has a lot of funny parts.
My favorite one was when A.J. wrote a poem about the school principal, Mr Klutz, who is bald.
I highly recommend the book.

[Cynthia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book in the series focuses on president's day. One of the teachers, Mr. Macky seems to be particularly wacky when it comes to his enthusiasm for presidents and history. Each of the students have to do a presentation on a president and shenanigans ensue. As always, it was a fun and enjoyable read.

[Karen & Gerard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mr. Macky Is Wacky! by Dan Gutman is Book 15 in My Weird School series. It is a funny book about a school celebrating President's Day. I enjoyed this one because it made me laugh. It is actually somewhat informative because teachers and students share facts about some of the presidents. (Karen's review)

[Kristie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely not my favorite children’s book series. I don’t like it when authors use stupid and other such words. The book is written to represent a child’s thought process. I would hope hat not all children’s thoughts are like the authors.

[Marya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Based on this book, I have no idea what a reading specialist actually does. You know, beyond the joke that teachers all have side hustles. It's just not that funny when nowadays EVERYONE has a side hustle.

[Jaymie Shook · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was silly and kept my 5yo interested. I just wish the main character didn’t talk so much about not liking school or hating other kids. There were also multiple places where the author generalized all girls or all boys, which I wasn’t a fan of.

[Mehmet · Rating 5 out of 5]

it was a fun book. There were some fights. The animal be the prisident.

[Nam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good, but I really wanted AJ to do well for once considering the time and effort he put into his oral report.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alice loves these silly books. Parents will love all the presidential jokes.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

It Was So Good!

[Randy Tramp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny and fun.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this book with my niece. Rather wordy but still good.

[Shankar B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked A.J.'s reaport about Benjerman Franklin.

[Loofa Lo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Boys are not dumbheads!
Andre is annoying, when I say annoying I mean really annoying!

[Courtney Umlauf · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a decent early chapter book series. Each book has a bit of humor and a relatable setting and characters that make them easy for students to engage with.

TpT Store | Pinterest

[Maggie Lyons · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dan Gutman’s Mr. Macky Is Wacky (My Weird School series) is vintage Gutman: funny, fast paced, and sure to appeal to reluctant readers. Gutman should know. In his foreword to the 2012 edition of the Renaissance Learning report What Kids Are Reading, Gutman writes:

As a reluctant reader myself, I relate to those kids. I know what bores them, and what holds their interest. They want short sentences. Short chapters. Dialog. Few adjectives. They’d rather use their imagination than read a paragraph of description. They want one sentence to lead naturally to the next one, rather than jump from subject to subject. They want a chapter to end in a way that makes them want to know what happens next.

Mr. Macky Is Wacky has all that and plenty of humor of this kind: “We were having fun learning about our crazy pets. But guess who suddenly walked into the door? Nobody! Because if you walked into a door, you would hurt your head.” President’s Day is coming to A.J.’s Ella Mentry School and that means inevitable chaos. Neil the nude kid’s pet ferret is voted president of the school and when students are asked to pick a US president for an oral report, A.J. works hard on what he knows will be a brilliant presentation—or will it? As usual, Gutman supplies a surprise ending.

Dan Gutman has written more than a hundred books for children, many of which have won awards. Mr. Macky Is Wacky is rated by Renaissance Learning’s AR BookFinder as suitable for children at a Grade 3 reading level (3.9 level).

[Peyton · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought it mr. macky is wacky was ok it's just that it talks about mr. macky expecting A.j and is friends' to read and he thinks worst of all, he has to read about the presidents of the united states'. A.j can't believe he actually HAS to read about the presidents. Also mr. macky is ACTING like abraham lincoln. Also a.j and his friends are required to dress up as their favorite president. they think it will be easy at first but when they do this stuff, but the day it comes up they think it's hard to be a president.