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Flying Solo
Friday, April 28, 9:00 a.m.
Opportunity is knocking at the door of Mr. "Fab" Fabiano's sixth-grade class. Mr. Fab is absent and a substitute never arrives. The class wants to prove that KIDS RULE, so they decide to run the class on their own. Super smart Karen leads the way in the class routines and most of the kids join in. But for Rachel White, this isn't just any other day. Rachel's been silent for six months and communicates by writing notes. Rachel knows today is exactly six months since their classmate Tommy Feathers died. In her own way, Rachel reminds the class about this--and for the first time, Mr. Fab's students reveal their true and sometimes hurtful thoughts. Where is Mr. Fab's class headed now? The school day isn't over yet. Will they keep flying solo or crash?
Opportunity is knocking at the door of Mr. "Fab" Fabiano's sixth-grade class. Mr. Fab is absent and a substitute never arrives. The class wants to prove that KIDS RULE, so they decide to run the class on their own. Super smart Karen leads the way in the class routines and most of the kids join in. But for Rachel White, this isn't just any other day. Rachel's been silent for six months and communicates by writing notes. Rachel knows today is exactly six months since their classmate Tommy Feathers died. In her own way, Rachel reminds the class about this--and for the first time, Mr. Fab's students reveal their true and sometimes hurtful thoughts. Where is Mr. Fab's class headed now? The school day isn't over yet. Will they keep flying solo or crash?
144 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1998
204 people are currently reading
1387 people want to read
About the author
Ralph Fletcher
77 books186 followersRalph Fletcher is a friend of young writers and readers as well as writing teachers. He has written or co-authored many books for writing teachers includng Writing Workshop: The Essential Guide, Teaching the Qualities of Writing, Lessons for the Writer's Notebook, Boy Writers: Reclaiming Their Voices, and Pyrotechnics on the Page: Playful Craft That Sparks Writing. Ralph has worked with teachers around the U.S. and abroad, helping them find wiser ways of teaching writing.
Ralph's many books for students include picture books (Twilight Comes Twice, Hello Harvest Moon, and The Sandman), novels (Fig Pudding, Flying Solo, and Spider Boy), poetry (A Writing Kind of Day and Moving Day), and a memoir, Marshfield Dreams: When I Was a Kid. His novel Uncle Daddy was awarded the Christopher medal in 2002. He has also written a popular series of books for young writers including Poetry Matters, Live Writing, and A Writer's Notebook. Ralph lives with his family in New Hampshire. He is a strong environmentalist who believes we all must work together to live in a more sustainable way. His other passions include travel, good food, dark chocolate, growing orchids, and sports.
Ralph's many books for students include picture books (Twilight Comes Twice, Hello Harvest Moon, and The Sandman), novels (Fig Pudding, Flying Solo, and Spider Boy), poetry (A Writing Kind of Day and Moving Day), and a memoir, Marshfield Dreams: When I Was a Kid. His novel Uncle Daddy was awarded the Christopher medal in 2002. He has also written a popular series of books for young writers including Poetry Matters, Live Writing, and A Writer's Notebook. Ralph lives with his family in New Hampshire. He is a strong environmentalist who believes we all must work together to live in a more sustainable way. His other passions include travel, good food, dark chocolate, growing orchids, and sports.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 465 reviews
August 26, 2014
My seven-year old read this book, then came into my room, handed it to me and said, "Mom, you should read this. I think you would like it." Well, he was right. Well written, engaging story and deep characters (for a children's book). Honestly, I think some of the character lessons probably went over my almost-second-grader's head, but I sure saw them. So many of the characters were dealing with deeply personal issues that no one else saw. It is such a great lesson in being kind because you don't know what burdens others are carrying. Also, it illustrates well how a person's personal baggage affects their behavior and how they treat others. There is also so wonderful symbolism between flight and Rachel's struggle. Finally, the end provides good fodder for discussion on right vs. wrong, as well as pride, achievement, responsibility and self-esteem. Overall, a really great book. So glad my son recommended it to me!
September 1, 2009
This book is about a couple of classroom room kids, their teacher is not there. There supose to have a substitute teacher and they do not show up. So they have a class all to themselves. What they do is try to run the class themselves. They also think about some other things that happened in the past.
Well i can sort of connect to this because i had substitute teachers before and sometimes they went out the class and did not show up for a while. So i tried to run things. It didnt work but it was worth trying.
I rate this book a five star because i really liked it. It was enjoyable and i didnt want to put it down. I would recommend this book to people who like books that seem real. Also to people who wish they had class day to them selves.
Well i can sort of connect to this because i had substitute teachers before and sometimes they went out the class and did not show up for a while. So i tried to run things. It didnt work but it was worth trying.
I rate this book a five star because i really liked it. It was enjoyable and i didnt want to put it down. I would recommend this book to people who like books that seem real. Also to people who wish they had class day to them selves.
May 29, 2020
I enjoyed this book. I had received this book from Mrs. Ellis when we got to pick a book from her. This is about a sixth grade class and their teacher was out for the day. Their sub called in sick but the secretary's note got lost. The class ended up with no teacher for they day. They try taking matters into their own hands to go though the whole school day without a teacher. Read the book to find out how these sixth grade students handle this by themselves. I recommend this book. Do they get caught or do they get away with it?
April 1, 2016
It was a super book to read!
February 6, 2017
I might be a little biased with my negativity about this book because when I started reading it I had already "bought" (using Scholastic points instead of dollars) multiple copies in hopes that it could be a literature circle book for my fifth grade class. It only took a few chapters for me to realize I would not be teaching this book as assigned reading for a few reasons.
First of all, and this may be nit-picky, but as a teacher who has worked in many, many public schools, the entire premise of the story has a huge flaw in that the students are able to enter the classroom without a teacher unlocking the door. I've never experienced a non-college level classroom where that is the case.
If you're able to get past this unrealistic premise in the first place, my other huge complaints with the book have to do with the way the students speak to each other. Sure, it may be realistic that students would speak this way without a teacher around, but it's definitely not something I need to be assigning to my students as acceptable language to use with their peers. The phrase "shut up" is used multiple times, and yes, my students hear it all the time outside of the classroom usually, so I would be willing to look past this if it weren't also paired with some huge gender stereotypes. Also, a few of the male characters say some pretty sexist things to female characters, and while it is established that these characters are "bad" or are mean to others for certain reasons, I still don't think it's appropriate for me to expose my students to this language as assigned reading.
The story handles some heavy topics like the death of a classmate (before the story takes place), a student who is a selective mute due to trauma, and a student who has to move often because his of a parent in the military. He is often mean to others as a defense mechanism because of it. While these situations are handled realistically, they are not handled with the depth and explanation that I think is necessary for students to understand why the characters act the way they do, and this is something that would need to be spelled out more for my lower readers (which are the students I would be assigning this to since it's at a fourth grade reading level according to Fountas and Pinnell guided reading levels).
All of this being said, I did continue to read the whole book after realizing I wouldn't be assigning it because it does keep you wondering what will happen once the students get found out, and how they will be found out in the first place. It can be a page turner for reluctant readers, and for that reason I will still keep it in my classroom library.
First of all, and this may be nit-picky, but as a teacher who has worked in many, many public schools, the entire premise of the story has a huge flaw in that the students are able to enter the classroom without a teacher unlocking the door. I've never experienced a non-college level classroom where that is the case.
If you're able to get past this unrealistic premise in the first place, my other huge complaints with the book have to do with the way the students speak to each other. Sure, it may be realistic that students would speak this way without a teacher around, but it's definitely not something I need to be assigning to my students as acceptable language to use with their peers. The phrase "shut up" is used multiple times, and yes, my students hear it all the time outside of the classroom usually, so I would be willing to look past this if it weren't also paired with some huge gender stereotypes. Also, a few of the male characters say some pretty sexist things to female characters, and while it is established that these characters are "bad" or are mean to others for certain reasons, I still don't think it's appropriate for me to expose my students to this language as assigned reading.
The story handles some heavy topics like the death of a classmate (before the story takes place), a student who is a selective mute due to trauma, and a student who has to move often because his of a parent in the military. He is often mean to others as a defense mechanism because of it. While these situations are handled realistically, they are not handled with the depth and explanation that I think is necessary for students to understand why the characters act the way they do, and this is something that would need to be spelled out more for my lower readers (which are the students I would be assigning this to since it's at a fourth grade reading level according to Fountas and Pinnell guided reading levels).
All of this being said, I did continue to read the whole book after realizing I wouldn't be assigning it because it does keep you wondering what will happen once the students get found out, and how they will be found out in the first place. It can be a page turner for reluctant readers, and for that reason I will still keep it in my classroom library.
January 9, 2018
This book name is flying solo and the author of this book is Ralph fletcher, it want to show us if there no someone to take care of children they will all naughty.
This book is about a couple of classroom room kids, first their teacher is not there. So There need to have a tell teacher and they don’t show up after they don’t tell teacher they have a class all to by themselves, What they do is try to run everywhere in the classroom. In the end They also think about some other things that happened in the after today. This book tell me that if there is no teacher to take care of children all the children are very naughty.
After I finish this book i gave it four star because it make me feel when i am inPrimary school，I really like it!
This book is about a couple of classroom room kids, first their teacher is not there. So There need to have a tell teacher and they don’t show up after they don’t tell teacher they have a class all to by themselves, What they do is try to run everywhere in the classroom. In the end They also think about some other things that happened in the after today. This book tell me that if there is no teacher to take care of children all the children are very naughty.
After I finish this book i gave it four star because it make me feel when i am inPrimary school，I really like it!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 6, 2023
Flying Solo was very good. I love Barkley, Racheal, and Missy. Barkley was awesome because he loved Bastian even though Bastian was not the best person. Racheal did not talk. Until she did. She did not talk because of Tommy's death. 6 months. I would not last that long. Missy always stood up for Racheal. She read for her. I would want a friend like Missy no matter what size she is.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 14, 2018
This is my second time I'm reading it. It's a really quick read and it's a good book.
December 8, 2011
Ralph Fletcher, author of Flying Solo is an author I greatly admire, in all the genres in which he writes: non-fiction (A Writer's Notebook: Unlocking the Writer within You, How Writers Work: Finding a Process That Works for You, Live Writing); poetry (Relatively Speaking, A Writing Kind Of Day: Poems for Young Poets) and fiction (Spider Boy and, of course, Flying Solo).
Reading Flying Solo was a very satisfying experience-Fletcher manages to work in some of his favorite ideas about the hows and whys of writing (smoothly done within the context of a classroom story) and his faith in the resilience and creativity and innate goodness of children. My major objection to the work, which did not interfere with my enjoyment of it, was that everything flowed a little too easily and wrapped up a little too smoothly. But sometimes I think we could use a little more of that in our hyper "realistic" world - where "realism" is usually a synonym for tragic, sordid, or sad. And while it's true that life doesn't always end happily, I'd like to think that at least for children, at least for many of us, some days end happily, some of the stories within life end happily and that we can learn from happpiness as well as sorrow.
Of course, Flying Solo has both. The premise of the story is that a teacher is absent and through a series of errors, no substitute is given to his sixth grade class. The class decides to run themselves and for the most part does so, following the teacher's routines and lesson plans (as a teacher, I found this a very satisfying fantasy). Trouble comes when Rachel, a girl who has not spoken in 6 months (since the sudden death of classmate Tommy Feathers) writes a note accusing another student of bullying the Tommy resulting in a fight... but I won't give anything away here.
The children are vividly drawn and Fletcher makes a convincing (for me at least but I'll admit I'm already a convert!) case for healing power of writing and the fact that voices can be expressed and heard in many ways.
An excellent book for middle schoolers. And not bad for adults.
Reading Flying Solo was a very satisfying experience-Fletcher manages to work in some of his favorite ideas about the hows and whys of writing (smoothly done within the context of a classroom story) and his faith in the resilience and creativity and innate goodness of children. My major objection to the work, which did not interfere with my enjoyment of it, was that everything flowed a little too easily and wrapped up a little too smoothly. But sometimes I think we could use a little more of that in our hyper "realistic" world - where "realism" is usually a synonym for tragic, sordid, or sad. And while it's true that life doesn't always end happily, I'd like to think that at least for children, at least for many of us, some days end happily, some of the stories within life end happily and that we can learn from happpiness as well as sorrow.
Of course, Flying Solo has both. The premise of the story is that a teacher is absent and through a series of errors, no substitute is given to his sixth grade class. The class decides to run themselves and for the most part does so, following the teacher's routines and lesson plans (as a teacher, I found this a very satisfying fantasy). Trouble comes when Rachel, a girl who has not spoken in 6 months (since the sudden death of classmate Tommy Feathers) writes a note accusing another student of bullying the Tommy resulting in a fight... but I won't give anything away here.
The children are vividly drawn and Fletcher makes a convincing (for me at least but I'll admit I'm already a convert!) case for healing power of writing and the fact that voices can be expressed and heard in many ways.
An excellent book for middle schoolers. And not bad for adults.
March 5, 2013
This book always kept me wanting to read more. There was always something happening that made you want to find out what happened next. I also liked how it jumped from person to person each chapter. So you could see different peoples points of view. There are some parts that almost made me cry or laugh out loud. I read this book before and I liked it so much that I read it again. I love how the students in this book are doing everything they are supposed to. I mean I usually do the things we are supposed to but in these circumstances even I would want to have a party all day. But that wouldn't have been much of a book I guess. Anyways I think it is a really good book and if you haven't read it you definitely should.
June 29, 2018
This book is talking about one day in the class of six graders. Rachel is one of these. There has a boy names, Tommy. He made the pie every day and put the biggest one to Rachel. He has been ask Rachel can she be his girlfriend. But Rachel refuse him. One night, Tommy dead in his bed, doctor said it is made by his disease. After that, Rachel doesn’t speak anymore.
One day, their teacher was absent. The class of six grade are running by their self. Karen was the little teacher, she lead the class to working. That day just like others day.
At last, a teacher ask Karen who is their substitution teacher. And she tell the teacher truth, they run by their self.
One day, their teacher was absent. The class of six grade are running by their self. Karen was the little teacher, she lead the class to working. That day just like others day.
At last, a teacher ask Karen who is their substitution teacher. And she tell the teacher truth, they run by their self.
May 16, 2016
I really liked this book cause it was realistic. I thought that's what typical kids would have done but most of all I liked how all the characters grew in the story. I feel like all the characters grew a lot more responsible. Especially Rachel, Sebastian and Karen. They matured more and they started to think more. For example Sebastian changed his mind about taking his dog to Hawaii and Rachel started talking. Karen became a real leader. I think that they did great with a teacher not there if that was in my class room we would probably been playing games the whole class.
June 4, 2012
This book worked better than I thought it would, just from reading the blurbs. There is a lot of thinking crammed into a short-ish novel. In fact, it reads a little bit like a series of short stories - short vignettes tied together by some common threads. But it comes together surprisingly well.
I wasn't completely satisfied with the ethics of the resolution, but then I am a substitute teacher and I am perhaps biased by my experiences with 6th grade classes.
I wasn't completely satisfied with the ethics of the resolution, but then I am a substitute teacher and I am perhaps biased by my experiences with 6th grade classes.
May 16, 2016
It's a funny and enticing book. I think this book is really a story about somehow having the main characters bond together. It has an element of well developed characters, and story. However I didn't like how all the characters we just TOO happy-go-lucky. Like when they say "geez" or "aw man" I think it's kind of annoying. Otherwise it's a clever book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 24, 2010
i really liked this book! it was a quick read. The ending was not as satisfying as the rest of the book but i still liked it!
January 30, 2020
Its a good book but at the beginning it changes POV's so many times.
Read
February 3, 2020it was a good fit for me
August 28, 2020
The book flying solo was a book about Mr. Fabiano’s sixth grade class and he didn’t show up so they expect a sub but no sub shows up so the class decides to try and run the class by themselves lying to all the teachers that come in. The boys in the class try to just play games but the girls start to follow the sub plans so they got the class to do it. When kids walk in the class they tell the truth but tell them to keep it a secret but when a teacher comes in the sub is in the bathroom. Recently a kid in their class named Tommy Feathers died and everyone is a little sad but one girl went mute. The whole day is going pretty well until the assembly were the class has to go down with no teacher. When they get there all is well until the storyteller asks for all the sixth grade teachers to come up and the principal asks were Mr.Fabiano is. He calls on the most responsible girl in the class and asks her where he is. She had to tell either a truth or a lie in front of the whole school. She told the truth and then they got in some deep trouble. LAter that day after school Mr. Fabiano calls up the girl who told the school they had no teacher trying to figure out what happened. In the end he was not to mad now knowing that they all obeyed and did what they were supposed to.
I liked how the book is not only from one person's perspective and instead it was from all the kids in the class perspective and the beginning was about how the kids life was going at what was going on so you knew some background information and all the kids in the book. I also liked how the whole book was just about one day so the author got so much detail in the book and that made the book that much better than it already was.
1 At recess her Flip-Flops smacked the sidewalk…
2 I haven’t seen you in forever…
3 The most great, grand, grandpa…
4 So big that it could eat a whale…
5 He was as mad as the devil...
I liked how the book is not only from one person's perspective and instead it was from all the kids in the class perspective and the beginning was about how the kids life was going at what was going on so you knew some background information and all the kids in the book. I also liked how the whole book was just about one day so the author got so much detail in the book and that made the book that much better than it already was.
1 At recess her Flip-Flops smacked the sidewalk…
2 I haven’t seen you in forever…
3 The most great, grand, grandpa…
4 So big that it could eat a whale…
5 He was as mad as the devil...
July 18, 2019
A 6th grade class is nearing the end of the year when a sequence of coincidences leave them without a teacher or a sub one Friday. They decide to run the class themselves without adult supervision and eventually make it to the end of the day without being detected. Throughout the day, students have short writing periods and share what they wrote. Sub plots include one student who is an Air Force brat who is leaving for Hawaii the next day (and is struggling with whether or not to take his puppy who would have to be quarantined for several weeks), another girl has not spoken since a classmate suddenly died in his sleep six months earlier, another student is struggling with a difficult home life.
The short pieces written by the students, provide insights into their inner thought processes as they work through their concerns. In the end they learn and grow a great deal from this challenging experience (much more than they would have if they had been supervised by an adult teacher).
This would make a great class read-aloud offering many opportunities for additional discussion. The Book is very thought-provoking and leaves many questions open so the reader can reach their own conclusions.
The short pieces written by the students, provide insights into their inner thought processes as they work through their concerns. In the end they learn and grow a great deal from this challenging experience (much more than they would have if they had been supervised by an adult teacher).
This would make a great class read-aloud offering many opportunities for additional discussion. The Book is very thought-provoking and leaves many questions open so the reader can reach their own conclusions.
September 21, 2011
I recomend this book for everyone this book is really emotional and exiting this book teaches you about freindship and how to really savor your memories and think about them beacause they are not going to be there forever.I learned that you might have something to love but you only love it or realize it once you have to move away or give it away because you know that it's not going to be there for the rest of your life.This compares to me because this is my last year in fith grade in my school and I know I wont be seeing all of these faces when I go to middle school so I have to spend time with my classmates because I really care about them.So read this book!
March 7, 2016
I read this in my 6th grade class with a small group of students. It was pretty good! The entire story takes place in one day, which is cool because the chapters follow the time of day as the story unfolds. A class of students is left to fend for themselves without a teacher or substitute. Will they be able to make it the whole day in school without adult supervision?
June 19, 2016
Not the best book but definitely not the Worst!
For me it was great because I'm still in grade school!
I don't think it is a good book for high school students but if you are in grade school still I highly recommend it!
For me it was great because I'm still in grade school!
I don't think it is a good book for high school students but if you are in grade school still I highly recommend it!
September 18, 2017
This book is about there are a class of students their teacher is not there. The teacher who should showing up didn’t shows up, so that they try to run the class by themselves. During that time they also think about the things happened before.
October 31, 2009
these kids reall can manage a class.
So that just proves everyone can.
But at the end of the school day they get busted.
So that just proves everyone can.
But at the end of the school day they get busted.
August 16, 2011
This is a great book. My teacher when I was 5th grade, my teacher had read it to our class and it was very fun. Its one of my favorite books until now.
November 16, 2010
I love this book. I remember ms.trataris reading this to us. We laughed at times and also wanted to tear up at tiems I would want to read this book again and again.
December 16, 2015
I think this book is really fun because students are staying in the classroom without teacher. Well, advisory teacher didn't come to school today and even there is no substitute.
September 29, 2018
Middle grade gem. A sixth grade class decides not to tell anyone their substitute hasn’t shown up and run the class on their own for the day. It turns into a surprisingly productive day.
May 24, 2019
it was good
June 18, 2019
Read for Matthew's Summer Reading
Displaying 1 - 30 of 465 reviews