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Lunch Money
MEET GREG KENTON, BILLIONAIRE IN THE MAKING.
Greg Kenton has two obsessions -- making money and his long-standing competition with his annoying neighbor, Maura Shaw. So when Greg discovers that Maura is cutting into his booming Chunky Comics business with her own original illustrated minibooks, he's ready to declare war.
The problem is, Greg has to admit that Maura's books are good, and soon the longtime enemies become unlikely business partners. But their budding partnership is threatened when the principal bans the sale of their comics in school. Suddenly, the two former rivals find themselves united against an adversary tougher than they ever were to each other. Will their enterprise -- and their friendship -- prevail?
Greg Kenton has two obsessions -- making money and his long-standing competition with his annoying neighbor, Maura Shaw. So when Greg discovers that Maura is cutting into his booming Chunky Comics business with her own original illustrated minibooks, he's ready to declare war.
The problem is, Greg has to admit that Maura's books are good, and soon the longtime enemies become unlikely business partners. But their budding partnership is threatened when the principal bans the sale of their comics in school. Suddenly, the two former rivals find themselves united against an adversary tougher than they ever were to each other. Will their enterprise -- and their friendship -- prevail?
222 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
436 people are currently reading
2456 people want to read
About the author
Andrew Clements
190 books2,179 followersI was born in Camden, New Jersey in 1949 and lived in Oaklyn and Cherry Hill until the middle of sixth grade. Then we moved to Springfield, Illinois. My parents were avid readers and they gave that love of books and reading to me and to all my brothers and sisters. I didn’t think about being a writer at all back then, but I did love to read. I'm certain there's a link between reading good books and becoming a writer. I don't know a single writer who wasn’t a reader first.
Before moving to Illinois, and even afterwards, our family spent summers at a cabin on a lake in Maine. There was no TV there, no phone, no doorbell—and email wasn’t even invented. All day there was time to swim and fish and mess around outside, and every night, there was time to read. I know those quiet summers helped me begin to think like a writer.
During my senior year at Springfield High School my English teacher handed back a poem I’d written. Two things were amazing about that paper. First, I’d gotten an A—a rare event in this teacher’s class. And she’d also written in large, scrawly red writing, “Andrew—this poem is so funny. This should be published!”
That praise sent me off to Northwestern University feeling like I was a pretty good writer, and occasionally professors there also encouraged me and complimented the essays I was required to write as a literature major. But I didn’t write much on my own—just some poetry now and then. I learned to play guitar and began writing songs, but again, only when I felt like it. Writing felt like hard work—something that’s still true today.
After the songwriting came my first job in publishing. I worked for a small publisher who specialized in how-to books, the kind of books that have photos with informative captions below each one. The book in which my name first appeared in print is called A Country Christmas Treasury. I’d built a number of the projects featured in the book, and I was listed as one of the “craftspeople”on the acknowlegements page, in tiny, tiny type.
In 1990 I began trying to write a story about a boy who makes up a new word. That book eventually became my first novel, Frindle, published in 1996, and you can read the whole story of how it developed on another web site, frindle.com. Frindle became popular, more popular than any of my books before or since—at least so far. And it had the eventual effect of turning me into a full-time writer.
I’ve learned that I need time and a quiet place to think and write. These days, I spend a lot of my time sitting in a small shed about seventy feet from my back door at our home in Massachusetts. There’s a woodstove in there for the cold winters, and an air conditioner for the hot summers. There’s a desk and chair, and I carry a laptop computer back and forth. But there’s no TV, no phone, no doorbell, no email. And the woodstove and the pine board walls make the place smell just like that cabin in Maine where I spent my earliest summers.
Sometimes kids ask how I've been able to write so many books. The answer is simple: one word at a time. Which is a good lesson, I think. You don't have to do everything at once. You don't have to know how every story is going to end. You just have to take that next step, look for that next idea, write that next word. And growing up, it's the same way. We just have to go to that next class, read that next chapter, help that next person. You simply have to do that next good thing, and before you know it, you're living a good life.
Before moving to Illinois, and even afterwards, our family spent summers at a cabin on a lake in Maine. There was no TV there, no phone, no doorbell—and email wasn’t even invented. All day there was time to swim and fish and mess around outside, and every night, there was time to read. I know those quiet summers helped me begin to think like a writer.
During my senior year at Springfield High School my English teacher handed back a poem I’d written. Two things were amazing about that paper. First, I’d gotten an A—a rare event in this teacher’s class. And she’d also written in large, scrawly red writing, “Andrew—this poem is so funny. This should be published!”
That praise sent me off to Northwestern University feeling like I was a pretty good writer, and occasionally professors there also encouraged me and complimented the essays I was required to write as a literature major. But I didn’t write much on my own—just some poetry now and then. I learned to play guitar and began writing songs, but again, only when I felt like it. Writing felt like hard work—something that’s still true today.
After the songwriting came my first job in publishing. I worked for a small publisher who specialized in how-to books, the kind of books that have photos with informative captions below each one. The book in which my name first appeared in print is called A Country Christmas Treasury. I’d built a number of the projects featured in the book, and I was listed as one of the “craftspeople”on the acknowlegements page, in tiny, tiny type.
In 1990 I began trying to write a story about a boy who makes up a new word. That book eventually became my first novel, Frindle, published in 1996, and you can read the whole story of how it developed on another web site, frindle.com. Frindle became popular, more popular than any of my books before or since—at least so far. And it had the eventual effect of turning me into a full-time writer.
I’ve learned that I need time and a quiet place to think and write. These days, I spend a lot of my time sitting in a small shed about seventy feet from my back door at our home in Massachusetts. There’s a woodstove in there for the cold winters, and an air conditioner for the hot summers. There’s a desk and chair, and I carry a laptop computer back and forth. But there’s no TV, no phone, no doorbell, no email. And the woodstove and the pine board walls make the place smell just like that cabin in Maine where I spent my earliest summers.
Sometimes kids ask how I've been able to write so many books. The answer is simple: one word at a time. Which is a good lesson, I think. You don't have to do everything at once. You don't have to know how every story is going to end. You just have to take that next step, look for that next idea, write that next word. And growing up, it's the same way. We just have to go to that next class, read that next chapter, help that next person. You simply have to do that next good thing, and before you know it, you're living a good life.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 684 reviews
March 16, 2010
Format: audio
Twelve-year-old Greg always has money on his mind. He is always looking for ways to make money. Once he finds a way that works he looks for a way to make more money. Greg realizes that school is a great place to make money, all those kids with extra lunch money. He comes up with a great idea and sells it to the kids at school, only to find out his rival has decided to copy him.
I thought the story was good, but I did not enjoy the audio. The narrator was very monotone which made the story drag. I would have prefered to read the book myself.
This book would be good as a read aloud in the classroom. There is a lot of math used in this book so it could even be read the last 5 minutes of math for a couple of weeks. The students could try to figure out the problems before the answer is given in the story.
Twelve-year-old Greg always has money on his mind. He is always looking for ways to make money. Once he finds a way that works he looks for a way to make more money. Greg realizes that school is a great place to make money, all those kids with extra lunch money. He comes up with a great idea and sells it to the kids at school, only to find out his rival has decided to copy him.
I thought the story was good, but I did not enjoy the audio. The narrator was very monotone which made the story drag. I would have prefered to read the book myself.
This book would be good as a read aloud in the classroom. There is a lot of math used in this book so it could even be read the last 5 minutes of math for a couple of weeks. The students could try to figure out the problems before the answer is given in the story.
October 8, 2013
It is a great story about creativity, comics, economics and entrepreneurship. I really enjoyed the clever ways he made money at home and at school. This story truly engaged the reader in the manner that made the reader curious has to how he was going to find a new way to make money, how he was going to work with his longtime rival and neighbor Maura Shaw. How Greg was going to make the principal understand that it wasn’t just about making money, there was more value to his comic book. How Maura and Greg were going to get the approval from the school board to sell the comic books. The characters in this book found a way to learn from each other and support each other through the hurdles to be successful. They embraced real world situations that made the story more believable. The plot carried the reader into the challenging situations that required problem solving skills. The story left the reader thinking that if you put your mind to something and work as a team it is possible to resolve any conflict. It presented challenging situations with humor and adventure and incorporated both Greg and Maura in the same situation with courage and determination.
Grade: 3-4
Ages: 8-12
2008 Maud Hart Lovelace Award Nominated book
Bank Street Best Books of the Year
CBC/NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book
Charlie May Simon Honor Book (AR)
Garden State Children's Book Award (NJ Library Association) (Categories: Easy to Read, Easy to Read Series, Non-Fiction, Fiction) (four categories, four winners)
Golden Archer Award Master List (WI)
Grand Canyon Reader Award Nominee (AZ)
KSRC Intermediate Titles - TOP PICK
Maud Hart Lovelace Award Master List (MN)
Nene Award Master List (HI)
Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award Nominee
Grade: 3-4
Ages: 8-12
2008 Maud Hart Lovelace Award Nominated book
Bank Street Best Books of the Year
CBC/NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book
Charlie May Simon Honor Book (AR)
Garden State Children's Book Award (NJ Library Association) (Categories: Easy to Read, Easy to Read Series, Non-Fiction, Fiction) (four categories, four winners)
Golden Archer Award Master List (WI)
Grand Canyon Reader Award Nominee (AZ)
KSRC Intermediate Titles - TOP PICK
Maud Hart Lovelace Award Master List (MN)
Nene Award Master List (HI)
Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award Nominee
June 4, 2016
Although not the BEST plot or writing, I find Andrew Clements' books so enjoyable and addictive. These books are almost a guilty pleasure for me, as there very easy to read and understand and quite cheesy, as every one of his books has a lesson that a character has learned in a blunt and comical way.
December 14, 2016
This was the 15th book by Andrew Clements that I have read this year. But as an author with over 100 distinct works on Goodreads I have barely scratched the surface. Clements is one of two authors I have discovered in the last year that I have been completely enthralled with, the other is Chris d’Lacey. I have focused mostly on Clements middle grade offerings, and most of the ones I have read are what I would classify as realistic fiction. These are stories you could actually expect to see happen, nothing paranormal, supernatural, magical or that would require a big suspense of belief. They are good down to earth stories that teach lessons, but in a subtle way, in essence they are just great reads. And that is how I would sum up all of the standalone books by Clements that I have read, this one included, it is another great read.
This book is illustrated by Brian Selznick, now of Hugo Cabret fame. This book is illustrated differently than a number of Andrew Clements books. Rather than a number of full page illustrations this book a far more illustrations but they are all smaller almost thumbnail drawings. The drawings in this book are in many ways indicative of the style used by Greg and Maura in their mini books, their chunky comics. So one can only assume this is intentional. They look like rough pencil sketches but fit the story well.
As is easily deduced by the title this book has a central theme of money, but not in the way that you would first suspect. Greg Kenton forgets his lunch, and he is short of what he would need to buy lunch at school. When his teacher refuses to lend him the $0.50 he needs to buy lunch she asks the class if someone will help him and a plan is hatched. For Greg realizes that most students have at least 25 cents or more discretionary money at school each day. But is not as simple as being enterprising, and having access to startup money, his first two ideas get squashed pretty quickly. Then He has a great idea and spends a good part of the summer preparing for it. He has plans for a Chunky Comic empire. But Soon things turn sour again when he and his rival, Maura Shaw from across the street end up coming to accidental blows.
This was another great read by Clements. It was especially interesting following the mind and thinking of a young man slightly obsessed with money, and following the entrepreneurship shown and the economics of scale. It was fun also reading about the long standing rivalry and eventually a possible resolution to hostilities.
It is another good read from Andrew Clements and I can honestly say it is well worth the read.
Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More and reviews of other books by Andrew Clements.
This book is illustrated by Brian Selznick, now of Hugo Cabret fame. This book is illustrated differently than a number of Andrew Clements books. Rather than a number of full page illustrations this book a far more illustrations but they are all smaller almost thumbnail drawings. The drawings in this book are in many ways indicative of the style used by Greg and Maura in their mini books, their chunky comics. So one can only assume this is intentional. They look like rough pencil sketches but fit the story well.
As is easily deduced by the title this book has a central theme of money, but not in the way that you would first suspect. Greg Kenton forgets his lunch, and he is short of what he would need to buy lunch at school. When his teacher refuses to lend him the $0.50 he needs to buy lunch she asks the class if someone will help him and a plan is hatched. For Greg realizes that most students have at least 25 cents or more discretionary money at school each day. But is not as simple as being enterprising, and having access to startup money, his first two ideas get squashed pretty quickly. Then He has a great idea and spends a good part of the summer preparing for it. He has plans for a Chunky Comic empire. But Soon things turn sour again when he and his rival, Maura Shaw from across the street end up coming to accidental blows.
This was another great read by Clements. It was especially interesting following the mind and thinking of a young man slightly obsessed with money, and following the entrepreneurship shown and the economics of scale. It was fun also reading about the long standing rivalry and eventually a possible resolution to hostilities.
It is another good read from Andrew Clements and I can honestly say it is well worth the read.
Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More and reviews of other books by Andrew Clements.
December 4, 2009
Lunch Money
Andrew Clements
Lunch Money is by the same author as Frindle. And as that book was wonderful, this one was in my opinion, even better.
Greg Kenton is a twelve-year old middle school student who has always been interested in money. When annoying neighbor, Maura Shaw, begins to develop the same interest as Greg, that had started a rivalry.
* * *
When Greg wanted to make some extra change, he decided to start a comic book company, called Chunky Comics. Greg decides to sell them at his school, and when Maura sees what he is doing, she decides to create her own comic book company, An Eentsy, Beentsy Book.
* * *
I thought that this book was an amazing fiction book and a very good comedy for children ages 7-11. It always kept me at the edge of my chair, and the pages literally turned themselves. Andrew Clements is an amazing writer, and that really shows in Lunch Money, Frindle, The Report Card, and all of his other books. I would rate this book a 5 out of 5 stars. It was an excellent adventure story, and is good for people who love excitement and adventure.
-Delaney Pantalone
Andrew Clements
Lunch Money is by the same author as Frindle. And as that book was wonderful, this one was in my opinion, even better.
Greg Kenton is a twelve-year old middle school student who has always been interested in money. When annoying neighbor, Maura Shaw, begins to develop the same interest as Greg, that had started a rivalry.
* * *
When Greg wanted to make some extra change, he decided to start a comic book company, called Chunky Comics. Greg decides to sell them at his school, and when Maura sees what he is doing, she decides to create her own comic book company, An Eentsy, Beentsy Book.
* * *
I thought that this book was an amazing fiction book and a very good comedy for children ages 7-11. It always kept me at the edge of my chair, and the pages literally turned themselves. Andrew Clements is an amazing writer, and that really shows in Lunch Money, Frindle, The Report Card, and all of his other books. I would rate this book a 5 out of 5 stars. It was an excellent adventure story, and is good for people who love excitement and adventure.
-Delaney Pantalone
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 28, 2014
Plot: In this book, Greg discovers the art of making money. Once figuring out how to make some extra cash, Greg teams up with his rival, Maura, to make a comic book series. Once gaining permission from the school board, they sell their comic books at school to help benefit the education of their peers.
Characters: Greg is a young boy who is in grade school; he has red hair and freckles. Maura is Greg's neighbor, from across the street, who starts out as Greg's rival, but slowly they build up their friendship by going into business together.
Setting and impact: The setting of this book mainly takes place at Ashworth intermediate school. The time is during the present day. In order for there to be a conflict, the story had to take place at school, because otherwise, there wouldn't be a problem.
Who and Why: I would recommend this book to a highschooler. I would recommend this book to a highschooler, because in order to grasp the whole picture of the story, one would need to be able to comprehend it.
Characters: Greg is a young boy who is in grade school; he has red hair and freckles. Maura is Greg's neighbor, from across the street, who starts out as Greg's rival, but slowly they build up their friendship by going into business together.
Setting and impact: The setting of this book mainly takes place at Ashworth intermediate school. The time is during the present day. In order for there to be a conflict, the story had to take place at school, because otherwise, there wouldn't be a problem.
Who and Why: I would recommend this book to a highschooler. I would recommend this book to a highschooler, because in order to grasp the whole picture of the story, one would need to be able to comprehend it.
December 3, 2012
I recently read Lunch Money by Andrew Clements Lunch Money is about a boy who has been collecting money since he was about 5. When he was older his dad told him he should start a bank account (because he had a bunch of money in different spots in the house) so you don't lose your money, and you will get a $100 when you stay there for a year. The boy thinks about it and decides to start one. But one day he made a comic book and someone wanted to buy it from him, and a light went in his head......
March 9, 2017
This book is about Greg who is 12 years old. He loves to save money and He already saved about 8,000. He is very smart, athletic, artistic & knows how to save money. His two obsessions are making money and his long-standing competition with his annoying neighbors. It's a good book and i would recommend this book to middle school kids because the main character is about their age.
Read
August 10, 2023I hadn't heard much about this book, but I would put it up there with Frindle as a middle grade classic. Short and sweet story about a boy who just likes money and comes up with unique ways to earn it. I will say that I never would have been inventive enough as a child to come up with the idea to make and sell miniature comic books.
April 7, 2021
My twelve year old daughter "assigned" this to me, saying it's her favorite Clements book, and it was excellent! Interesting and fun.
January 22, 2020
3 stars to the book and an extra one star for the author interview.
April 3, 2025
Absolutely loved this book, such a funny read!
November 1, 2017
Personal response
I personally didn't like this book, Lunch Money, that much. The main reason why I did not like it was because it is kind of a middle school aged book. This book kept on changing, for example, when the two characters hated each other on one page,but then the next page they were best friends. This book was really boring. I did not like how they would talk about the same thing over and over. I thought that Greg was really good at drawing but it took him 60 hours just to draw the pictures. I did not get how a girl named Mura, copied his ideas. She did not even go to school with him. How did she not get in trouble when she punched him in the face?
Plot
In the book, Lunch Money, a girl named Mura, and a guy named Greg are arch enemies. Greg was the inventor and seller of Chunkey comic books. He sold them for 25 cents each and he made good money. Then Mura moved to Greg's school. Ever since they where kids Mura liked to take his ideas. So, Mura stole Greg’s idea on Chunkey comics, but sold her’s for 50 cents and Greg got mad and stormed into class one day and told her up. Then the math teacher stood up and said, “What is going on here?” Greg said, “She stole my ideas on my book!” He showed the math teacher Mura’s book then she went to grab at it.Greg pulled away and she hit him in the face. Greg’s nose instantly started to bleed.They were sent to the office and then after that they became good friends. Greg still did not want to tell her that her that her comic book was actually pretty good.
Characterization
Greg, who is a main character, likes to make and sell comic books. He is only in sixth grade and has a arch enemy, Mura. He also likes to ride on his hog bike that he got when he was a kid. He also likes to sell lemonade on days when it is hot.
Mura who is also a main character likes to steal Greg’s ideas For Example, when Greg was selling lemonade she had to sell lemonade too. When greg got a bike she had to get the same bike and do the same thing he did. Mura did this because she liked Greg and wanted to do the things he did. She was too shy to tell him so, she would just be mean and act like she hated him.
Then there is the math teacher, Mr. Zenith, who solved the problems between Greg and Mura. He even told Greg that Mura likes him. Also, when Mura hit Greg in the face the math teacher was the one who brought him to the nurse's office.
Mrs. Davenport is the principal and also is the one who made Greg move classes so he did not have to see Mura. Mrs. Davenport banned the selling of anything in school and suspended Greg for not listening to her rules.
Impact Settings
This book takes place in Calhoun, Georgia and at Ashworth Intermediate School. The book does not say a specific time, but it takes place throughout a school year. Most of the story happens outside in Greg and Mura’s neighborhood where they competed on selling lemonade, riding bikes, and selling other merchandise. This impacted their life because Greg always got ripped off by Mura who would take his idea and sell it for double. This resulted in them hating each other.
Recommendation
I would recommend this book, Lunch Money, to boys and girls age 13 and up. The content is meant for younger kids. If people do not like romance, this book is not for them. There is not much action in this book. If people want action, they should choose a different book. If people just want a quick book to read, this is a book for them.
I personally didn't like this book, Lunch Money, that much. The main reason why I did not like it was because it is kind of a middle school aged book. This book kept on changing, for example, when the two characters hated each other on one page,but then the next page they were best friends. This book was really boring. I did not like how they would talk about the same thing over and over. I thought that Greg was really good at drawing but it took him 60 hours just to draw the pictures. I did not get how a girl named Mura, copied his ideas. She did not even go to school with him. How did she not get in trouble when she punched him in the face?
Plot
In the book, Lunch Money, a girl named Mura, and a guy named Greg are arch enemies. Greg was the inventor and seller of Chunkey comic books. He sold them for 25 cents each and he made good money. Then Mura moved to Greg's school. Ever since they where kids Mura liked to take his ideas. So, Mura stole Greg’s idea on Chunkey comics, but sold her’s for 50 cents and Greg got mad and stormed into class one day and told her up. Then the math teacher stood up and said, “What is going on here?” Greg said, “She stole my ideas on my book!” He showed the math teacher Mura’s book then she went to grab at it.Greg pulled away and she hit him in the face. Greg’s nose instantly started to bleed.They were sent to the office and then after that they became good friends. Greg still did not want to tell her that her that her comic book was actually pretty good.
Characterization
Greg, who is a main character, likes to make and sell comic books. He is only in sixth grade and has a arch enemy, Mura. He also likes to ride on his hog bike that he got when he was a kid. He also likes to sell lemonade on days when it is hot.
Mura who is also a main character likes to steal Greg’s ideas For Example, when Greg was selling lemonade she had to sell lemonade too. When greg got a bike she had to get the same bike and do the same thing he did. Mura did this because she liked Greg and wanted to do the things he did. She was too shy to tell him so, she would just be mean and act like she hated him.
Then there is the math teacher, Mr. Zenith, who solved the problems between Greg and Mura. He even told Greg that Mura likes him. Also, when Mura hit Greg in the face the math teacher was the one who brought him to the nurse's office.
Mrs. Davenport is the principal and also is the one who made Greg move classes so he did not have to see Mura. Mrs. Davenport banned the selling of anything in school and suspended Greg for not listening to her rules.
Impact Settings
This book takes place in Calhoun, Georgia and at Ashworth Intermediate School. The book does not say a specific time, but it takes place throughout a school year. Most of the story happens outside in Greg and Mura’s neighborhood where they competed on selling lemonade, riding bikes, and selling other merchandise. This impacted their life because Greg always got ripped off by Mura who would take his idea and sell it for double. This resulted in them hating each other.
Recommendation
I would recommend this book, Lunch Money, to boys and girls age 13 and up. The content is meant for younger kids. If people do not like romance, this book is not for them. There is not much action in this book. If people want action, they should choose a different book. If people just want a quick book to read, this is a book for them.
October 23, 2015
Personal response: I really liked the book, "Lunch Money," by Andrew Clements because of the story line, and I thought it was funny at times. I enjoyed reading the conflict of Greg and Maura they would always have to be better than one another. I really liked how the author used good imagery in every scene.
Plot: Greg Kenton has always had a love for making money. In fifth grade Greg figures out that everyone has some extra quarters at lunch. With this in mind he starts selling comic books and little toys at lunch to make some money. Chunky Comics is a hit, all of the kids love them. Maura Shaw started giving Gregg a run for his money by making her own comics. They team up after an incident in math class where Maura punched Gregg in the nose on accident. At first the school would not let them sell their comic books at school. With hard work and some good convincing to Mrs.Davenport, she lets them sell them at school.
Characterization: Greg Kenton is the main character in this book and he loves to make money. Some of his peers say he is obsessed with it. Maura Shaw is his next door neighbor and his only competition for making money. Greg’s family is very supportive of Greg and Maura. Mrs. Davenport is the school principal and she is all about learning and only learning. Mr.Z is the math teacher who has been with Greg and Maura trying to sell comic books. The characterization in this book was very good. I could relate to Greg because we both want to make money and get rich.
Impacts of setting: The setting is at a middle school in today's time because of the technology that the kids use to make the comic books. The characters in the book are twelve years old sixth graders. The book would be much different if it took place anywhere else because then he wouldn’t have the conflict of not being able to sell them. I think the time and setting of the book well-suited the story line and I cannot see it working in any other setting or time.
Thematic connection: The theme I picked out in this book was not to be greedy and to enjoy the simple things in life. Greg would only focus on his money and wouldn't worry about making friends. When Maura came into the picture he became interested in being her friend but also beating his competition.
Recommendation:I would recommend this book to boys and girls in middle school and high school. I do not believe this book is gender specific because the main characters are a boy and a girl. It was very easy to comprehend and it’s also a quick and easy read.
Plot: Greg Kenton has always had a love for making money. In fifth grade Greg figures out that everyone has some extra quarters at lunch. With this in mind he starts selling comic books and little toys at lunch to make some money. Chunky Comics is a hit, all of the kids love them. Maura Shaw started giving Gregg a run for his money by making her own comics. They team up after an incident in math class where Maura punched Gregg in the nose on accident. At first the school would not let them sell their comic books at school. With hard work and some good convincing to Mrs.Davenport, she lets them sell them at school.
Characterization: Greg Kenton is the main character in this book and he loves to make money. Some of his peers say he is obsessed with it. Maura Shaw is his next door neighbor and his only competition for making money. Greg’s family is very supportive of Greg and Maura. Mrs. Davenport is the school principal and she is all about learning and only learning. Mr.Z is the math teacher who has been with Greg and Maura trying to sell comic books. The characterization in this book was very good. I could relate to Greg because we both want to make money and get rich.
Impacts of setting: The setting is at a middle school in today's time because of the technology that the kids use to make the comic books. The characters in the book are twelve years old sixth graders. The book would be much different if it took place anywhere else because then he wouldn’t have the conflict of not being able to sell them. I think the time and setting of the book well-suited the story line and I cannot see it working in any other setting or time.
Thematic connection: The theme I picked out in this book was not to be greedy and to enjoy the simple things in life. Greg would only focus on his money and wouldn't worry about making friends. When Maura came into the picture he became interested in being her friend but also beating his competition.
Recommendation:I would recommend this book to boys and girls in middle school and high school. I do not believe this book is gender specific because the main characters are a boy and a girl. It was very easy to comprehend and it’s also a quick and easy read.
June 29, 2017
Not going to lie, at first I thought I was going to greatly dislike this books since it will mostly be about money (which in truth - it is, but that's not the point) and money and I don't get along very well since I haven't mastered the art of money such as Greg. But to my surprise this books excel my expectations! The writing is simple and goes straight to the point, the characters -Greg and Maura- were fantastic to read and how their relationships blossoms throughout the books, and the story is simply a fun read.
Now, let's talk about what I was mostly was excited about this book - Greg and Maura. That's right ladies and gentlemen those two kids were a blast to read. I really like (as I said before) how their relationship blossoms from enemies to friends and who's to thank for that miracle? Well money of course! (At least to an extent.) Greg and Maura have known each other since they could remember and they have always been competitors in everything and tried to challenge who can better such as riding bikes or who can sell the most of comic books or should I call them chunky comics? That's right. Comics helped the two competitors to unite and end their feud - well somewhat end their feud.
The part that sold me was in the very last chapter in the end when there was "one awkward attempt of holding hands." I literally squealed from delight and the cuteness! Can you say what?
Mr. Andrew Clements, you just won a reader and I cannot wait to read more of your books since this was my first book that I have read from you!
Now, let's talk about what I was mostly was excited about this book - Greg and Maura. That's right ladies and gentlemen those two kids were a blast to read. I really like (as I said before) how their relationship blossoms from enemies to friends and who's to thank for that miracle? Well money of course! (At least to an extent.) Greg and Maura have known each other since they could remember and they have always been competitors in everything and tried to challenge who can better such as riding bikes or who can sell the most of comic books or should I call them chunky comics? That's right. Comics helped the two competitors to unite and end their feud - well somewhat end their feud.
The part that sold me was in the very last chapter in the end when there was "one awkward attempt of holding hands." I literally squealed from delight and the cuteness! Can you say what?
Mr. Andrew Clements, you just won a reader and I cannot wait to read more of your books since this was my first book that I have read from you!
June 30, 2014
Boring, stereotyped, awkward, and reinforces rape culture.
The middle school teacher tells the boy that all teachers can tell which boys the girls like because the girls are mean to those boys. I know using the phrase "rape culture" seems melodramatic, but here I am reading it in June of 2014, in the context of a U.S. culture with prolific sexual assault in the military and in colleges, and with many of these cases being dismissed - often blamed on the girl's "mixed messages." There's a need for weeding out books that reinforce this. I understand it's an older book, so I know Clements wasn't as enlightened as we are now about the effects of convincing boys that girls who fight with them actually like them. But this book was one of many that was recommended by elementary schools and librarians to kids who were 10 in 2005, who are now 20. It's a dangerous sentiment, and it's everywhere, and it shouldn't be in books for kids.
If it was otherwise a good book, then you could maybe recommend the book be read with a note of qualification. However, the book is not good. The plot and writing was very procedural, with an obvious lesson. The book teaches about economics and small businesses, but without the good writing that would integrate it into an interesting story. Kids would be better off reading an instructional book about how to start your own business.
The middle school teacher tells the boy that all teachers can tell which boys the girls like because the girls are mean to those boys. I know using the phrase "rape culture" seems melodramatic, but here I am reading it in June of 2014, in the context of a U.S. culture with prolific sexual assault in the military and in colleges, and with many of these cases being dismissed - often blamed on the girl's "mixed messages." There's a need for weeding out books that reinforce this. I understand it's an older book, so I know Clements wasn't as enlightened as we are now about the effects of convincing boys that girls who fight with them actually like them. But this book was one of many that was recommended by elementary schools and librarians to kids who were 10 in 2005, who are now 20. It's a dangerous sentiment, and it's everywhere, and it shouldn't be in books for kids.
If it was otherwise a good book, then you could maybe recommend the book be read with a note of qualification. However, the book is not good. The plot and writing was very procedural, with an obvious lesson. The book teaches about economics and small businesses, but without the good writing that would integrate it into an interesting story. Kids would be better off reading an instructional book about how to start your own business.
May 1, 2020
Very cute read for elementary scholars. Will use as a read aloud again in the future.
July 25, 2008
Sandiwara Sunda - Sandekala
SANDEKALA MENUNTUT PERUBAHAN
Greg Kenton memiliki segudang bakat, padahal umurnya baru belasan tahun. Di bidang olahraga, dia jago bermain bisbol dan sepak bola. Di bidang kesenian, suaranya juga jernih ketika bernyanyi dan bisa bermain piano. Tak hanya itu, membuat sketsa dan menggambar adalah hal yang gampang buat dia. Di bidang akademik, dia bisa mengikuti semua pelajaran dengan baik, mulai dari membaca, menulis, IPA, dan IPS. Namun, bakat yang paling menonjol yang dia miliki adalah yang berhubungan dengan uang. Dan bakat ini sangat mendukung cita-citanya untuk menjadi menjadi orang yang kaya raya. Dia berharap dengan mempunyai uang yang sangat banyak, dia bisa membeli barang-barang dia inginkan, mengunjungi banyak tempat, serta melakukan apa saja yang dia mau. Dan untuk mewujudkan cita-citanya, dia pun mulai merintis usaha “kecil-kecilan” semenjak usianya belum memasuki usia sekolah. Dia bekerja keras untuk mengumpulkan uang, sen demi sen, dolar demi dolar. Mulai dari bisnis merapikan kamar tidur dua saudaranya, mendaur ulang sampah, menjual barang loakan, menyemir sepatu pesta orang tuanya, membersihkan pekarangan, menjual limun, menjual mainan, sampai membuat komik mini. Semuanya dia kerjakan dengan tekun dan kerja keras. Kisah Greg ini tertuang dalam buku “Lunch Money” karangan Andrew Clements, terbitan Simon and Schuster, New York. Kemudian diterjemahkan oleh Mukti Mulyana dengan judul “Uuang Jajan” dan diterbitkan oleh Little Serambi.
Menjadi orang yang kaya raya adalah tujuannya. Dan untuk menjadi kaya raya, mengumpulkan uang yang sangat banyak adalah salah satu solusinya. Uang, uang, dan uang. Alat tukar untuk bertransaksi bisnis ini menjadi barang yang sangat penting. Namun jauh sebelum konsep uang dikenal sebagai alat transaksi, dikalangan primitif sistem pertukaran dalam kehidupan sehari-hari masih dilakukan dengan menggunakan benda atau barang. Proses ini lazim disebut dengan sistem barter, dimana benda atau barang yang dipertukarkan itu ditaksir dengan suatu nilai yang disetujui dan disepakati oleh pihak-pihak yang terlibat dalam sebuah transaksi. Bahkan, masyarakat primitif menganggap kalau pola pertukaran dalam bentuk barter ini mengandung nilai moralitas tertentu yang sesuai dengan nilai-nilai esensial yang diyakini oleh masyarakat bersangkutan. Karena bagi mereka, transaksi peralihan kepemilikan suatu benda atau barang dari satu orang ke orang lainnya bukan hanya menyangkut sebuah transaksi peralihan benda atau barang semata, tetapi merefleksikan hal yang disebut para ahli antropologi sebagai cosmic balanca dan social order (Johnny Parry and Maurice Bloch, 1989).
Seorang peneliti sosial, Amich Alhumami, dari Departemen Sosial Antropologi, Universitas Sussex, Inggris, dalam sebuah tulisannya menyatakan bahwa uang mempunyai empat esensi moralitas, yakni:
Pertama, melambangkan penghargaan dan penghormatan di antara sesama anggota masyarakat dalam suatu bangunan struktur sosial yang berlapis-lapis. Anggota masyarakat dari lapisan sosial yang berbeda dalam struktur hirarki sosial bisa saling berinteraksi tanpa pembatas.
Kedua, merawat relasi horizontal antar warga dan memperkuat harmoni sosial sehingga setiap warga memperoleh kenyamanan dan ketenteraman dalam kehidupan kemasyarakatan. Harmonium merupakan sendi dasar dalam relasi sosial yang harus dijaga melalui kebersamaan.
Ketiga, membangun dan meneguhkan solidaritas sosial untuk memperkuat ketahanan masyarakat atas dasar keterikatan emosional dan pertalian kekerabatan.
Keempat, memperkokoh dan memantapkan daya rekat sosial guna mencegah dan mengeliminasi potensi konflik serta menghindari friksi di dalam masyarakat, bahkan yang berskala kecil sekalipun.
Masyarakat primitive menjadikan keempat esensi moralitas pertukaran di atas sebagai bingkai kehidupan yang dapat memelihara keteraturan sosial dan membangun keselarasan dalam kehidupan keseharian. Jadi, tidak mengherankan bila keseimbangan kosmik dan ketertiban sosial dapat terjaga secara berkelanjutan. Namun sayangnya, di kehidupan modern sekarang ini, nilai esensi moralitas tersebut telah bergeser jauh. Uang pun dijadikan sebagai alat tukar untuk memperdagangkan kekuasaan, kewenangan, keputusan, serta komersialisasi jabatan. Semata-mata hanya untuk menumpuk materi demi mencukupi kebutuhan konsumsi yang telah melewati batas kecukupan untuk sekedar menikmati hidup. Kebutuhan seolah tidak pernah tercukupi, bertambah dari hari ke hari, dan segala cara dilakukan untuk mendapatkan uang dalam pemenuhan kebutuhan tersebut. Manusia seolah tidak perduli telah melanggar nilai kepatutan, tetapi bahkan telah merusak tatanan nilai, etika, dan norma yang menjadi sendi dasar ketertiban dalam kehidupan sosial dan bermasyarakat. Ini terbukti dengan maraknya kasus suap yang berujung pada kasus korupsi di berbagai instansi di Indonesia, yang telah merusak sistem akuntabilitas publik dalam penyelenggaraan pemerintahan yang bersih. Mulai dari kasus korupsi dana nonbudgeter di PT. Kantor Pos Indonesia WIlayah IV, kasus korupsi pengadaan alat pendeteksi virus flu burung di Departemen Pertanian, kasus penyuapan terkait pengadaan kapal di Ditjen Perhubungan, kasus korupsi di Kantor Pelayanan Utama Bea dan Cukai, kasus korupsi penjualan kapal tanker raksasa di PT. Pertamina, kasus penyalahgunaan jabatan oleh mantan Dirut TVRI, kasus korupsi proyek Gerakan Rehabilitasi Nasional Hutan dan Lahan di Departemen Kehutanan, sampai kasus suap yang terjadi di Kejaksaan Agung. Dan masih banyak lagi kasus-kasus korupsi yang terjadi di departemen lain seperti: Departemen Luar Negeri, Departemen Sosial, Departemen Hukum dan HAM, Departemen Dalam Negeri, Bank Indonesia, PT. Taspen, Komisis Yudisial, sampai ke TNI. Dan yang lebih memiriskan adalah kasus suap yang melibatkan anggota dewan yang terhormat, yang seharusnya bertindak sebagai penyambung lidah aspirasi rakyat, terkait dengan kasus alih fungsi hutan di Bintan, Kepulauan Riau, yang juga melibatkan Sekretaris Daerah setempat. Belum lagi dengan kasus alih fungsi hutan mangrove di Tanjung Api-api, Sumatera Selatan. Bahkan alam (hutan) pun dijarah demi menumpuk materi, jadi tidak mengherankan ketika alam menuntut balik dengan ketidakadilan yang diterimanya. Bencana alam pun terjadi, mulai dari banjir, tanah longsor, hingga ke pemanasan global. Alam pun seolah menuntut perubahan untuk diperlakukan secara baik dan bijaksana.
Mainteater dalam lakon Sandekala pun menuntut perubahan yang diawali dengan kisah perbincangan Ki Kuncen dengan seekor burung kepodang di sebuah tempat yang bernama Tabet Surawisesa. Kemudian diikuti dengan kisah camat Suroto yang seharusnya mengayomi rakyatnya malah menyalahgunakan kekuasaan serta wewenangnya telah berani menebang pohon dari hutan keramat yang dijaga oleh Ki Kuncen, yang dari generasi ke generasi sangat dijaga kesakralannya. Hal ini membuat masyarakat yang diwakili pemuda dan mahasiswa menjadi berang dan memprotes tindakan tersebut. Belum lagi permintaan pemindahan lokasi pasar malam yang dapat mengganggu ketentraman dan kenyamanan karena berdekatan dengan areal peribadatan, seolah tidak ditanggapi oleh sang camat hanya karena menganggap hal itu akan mengurangi uang “pemasukan”. Dan seperti biasa, suara-suara kebenaran harus dibungkam dengan cara apapun, tak ketinggalan orang-orang yang menyuarakannya pun harus ditumpas. Bagus (Chandra Kudapawana), seorang wartawan, yang juga cucu Ki Kuncen satu-stunya, yang mengungkap kasus keculasan seorang walikota, malah di PHK oleh perusahaan surat kabar tempatnya bekerja. Dan lebih tragis lagi, para pemuda dan mahasiswa yang memprotes penyalahgunaan kekuasaan harus meregang nyawa ditengah serbuan peluru yang membabi buta menyerang tubuh mereka, saat bersembunyi di Tabet Surawisesa.
Lakon ini dipentaskan pada hari Selasa, 22 Juli 2008, jam 20.00 WIB, di Graha Bhakti Budaya, Taman Ismail, dengan menggunakan bahasa Indonesia sebagai bahasa pengantarnya. Dari segi cerita, lakon ini terasa sangat pas dengan momentum dimana kasus korupsi di Indonesia semakin banyak yang terkuak, dan semoga ini menjadi penyemangat buat KPK untuk lebih menunjukkan taringnya dalam memberangus pelaku-pelaku korupsi. Pentas ini juga memberikan humor lewat bahasa tubuh dan celetukan Didon (Kodrat Firmansyah) yang cukup natural untuk membantu mehilangkan rasa jenuh dan kantuk penonton pentas yang berlangsung selama lebih dari 3 jam ini. Namun, di beberapa adegan, musik latar yang terlalu keras seolah beradu dengan suara pemain, yang membuat penonton tidak bisa mengikuti dialog antar pemain secara jelas. Belum lagi, adegan konyol si Otong yang awalnya terasa lucu, namun akhirnya terasa berlebihan dan garing.
Sebelumnya, lakon Sandekala yang diadaptasi dari novel berjudul sama, ditulis oleh Godi Suwarna, juga telah dipentaskan di Bandung pada tanggal 23 dan 24 Mei 2008, dengan menggunakan bahasa Sunda. Sandekala yang disutradarai oleh Wawan Sofwan ini pun akan kembali dipentaskan dengan menggunakan bahasa Sunda pada tanggal 23 Juli 2008, pukul 20.00 WIB, di Taman Ismail Marzuki, Jakarta.
Sungguh menyedihkan, ternyata masyarakat primitif justru lebih kuat dalam memegang prinsip-prinsip moralitas dalam memaknai pertukaran melalui aneka bentuk kearifan tradisional sehingga mampu menjaga keseimbangan kosmik dan keteraturan sosial. Dapat dipastikan kalau uang bukanlah “dewa” buat mereka yang harus dipuja, dikumpulkan, dengan menghalalkan segala cara. Dan Greg Kenton juga sangat berbeda dengan pelaku-pelaku korupsi di negeri ini dan dimanapun, karena dia lebih menyukai bekerja keras untuk mendapatkan dan mengumpulkan uang yang halal. Pelan-pelan menjadi kaya adalah sebuah proses membentuk kesabaran yang dinikmatinya.
(Ulasan ini bisa juga dibaca di http://neutroncobol.multiply.com/reviews )
SANDEKALA MENUNTUT PERUBAHAN
Greg Kenton memiliki segudang bakat, padahal umurnya baru belasan tahun. Di bidang olahraga, dia jago bermain bisbol dan sepak bola. Di bidang kesenian, suaranya juga jernih ketika bernyanyi dan bisa bermain piano. Tak hanya itu, membuat sketsa dan menggambar adalah hal yang gampang buat dia. Di bidang akademik, dia bisa mengikuti semua pelajaran dengan baik, mulai dari membaca, menulis, IPA, dan IPS. Namun, bakat yang paling menonjol yang dia miliki adalah yang berhubungan dengan uang. Dan bakat ini sangat mendukung cita-citanya untuk menjadi menjadi orang yang kaya raya. Dia berharap dengan mempunyai uang yang sangat banyak, dia bisa membeli barang-barang dia inginkan, mengunjungi banyak tempat, serta melakukan apa saja yang dia mau. Dan untuk mewujudkan cita-citanya, dia pun mulai merintis usaha “kecil-kecilan” semenjak usianya belum memasuki usia sekolah. Dia bekerja keras untuk mengumpulkan uang, sen demi sen, dolar demi dolar. Mulai dari bisnis merapikan kamar tidur dua saudaranya, mendaur ulang sampah, menjual barang loakan, menyemir sepatu pesta orang tuanya, membersihkan pekarangan, menjual limun, menjual mainan, sampai membuat komik mini. Semuanya dia kerjakan dengan tekun dan kerja keras. Kisah Greg ini tertuang dalam buku “Lunch Money” karangan Andrew Clements, terbitan Simon and Schuster, New York. Kemudian diterjemahkan oleh Mukti Mulyana dengan judul “Uuang Jajan” dan diterbitkan oleh Little Serambi.
Menjadi orang yang kaya raya adalah tujuannya. Dan untuk menjadi kaya raya, mengumpulkan uang yang sangat banyak adalah salah satu solusinya. Uang, uang, dan uang. Alat tukar untuk bertransaksi bisnis ini menjadi barang yang sangat penting. Namun jauh sebelum konsep uang dikenal sebagai alat transaksi, dikalangan primitif sistem pertukaran dalam kehidupan sehari-hari masih dilakukan dengan menggunakan benda atau barang. Proses ini lazim disebut dengan sistem barter, dimana benda atau barang yang dipertukarkan itu ditaksir dengan suatu nilai yang disetujui dan disepakati oleh pihak-pihak yang terlibat dalam sebuah transaksi. Bahkan, masyarakat primitif menganggap kalau pola pertukaran dalam bentuk barter ini mengandung nilai moralitas tertentu yang sesuai dengan nilai-nilai esensial yang diyakini oleh masyarakat bersangkutan. Karena bagi mereka, transaksi peralihan kepemilikan suatu benda atau barang dari satu orang ke orang lainnya bukan hanya menyangkut sebuah transaksi peralihan benda atau barang semata, tetapi merefleksikan hal yang disebut para ahli antropologi sebagai cosmic balanca dan social order (Johnny Parry and Maurice Bloch, 1989).
Seorang peneliti sosial, Amich Alhumami, dari Departemen Sosial Antropologi, Universitas Sussex, Inggris, dalam sebuah tulisannya menyatakan bahwa uang mempunyai empat esensi moralitas, yakni:
Pertama, melambangkan penghargaan dan penghormatan di antara sesama anggota masyarakat dalam suatu bangunan struktur sosial yang berlapis-lapis. Anggota masyarakat dari lapisan sosial yang berbeda dalam struktur hirarki sosial bisa saling berinteraksi tanpa pembatas.
Kedua, merawat relasi horizontal antar warga dan memperkuat harmoni sosial sehingga setiap warga memperoleh kenyamanan dan ketenteraman dalam kehidupan kemasyarakatan. Harmonium merupakan sendi dasar dalam relasi sosial yang harus dijaga melalui kebersamaan.
Ketiga, membangun dan meneguhkan solidaritas sosial untuk memperkuat ketahanan masyarakat atas dasar keterikatan emosional dan pertalian kekerabatan.
Keempat, memperkokoh dan memantapkan daya rekat sosial guna mencegah dan mengeliminasi potensi konflik serta menghindari friksi di dalam masyarakat, bahkan yang berskala kecil sekalipun.
Masyarakat primitive menjadikan keempat esensi moralitas pertukaran di atas sebagai bingkai kehidupan yang dapat memelihara keteraturan sosial dan membangun keselarasan dalam kehidupan keseharian. Jadi, tidak mengherankan bila keseimbangan kosmik dan ketertiban sosial dapat terjaga secara berkelanjutan. Namun sayangnya, di kehidupan modern sekarang ini, nilai esensi moralitas tersebut telah bergeser jauh. Uang pun dijadikan sebagai alat tukar untuk memperdagangkan kekuasaan, kewenangan, keputusan, serta komersialisasi jabatan. Semata-mata hanya untuk menumpuk materi demi mencukupi kebutuhan konsumsi yang telah melewati batas kecukupan untuk sekedar menikmati hidup. Kebutuhan seolah tidak pernah tercukupi, bertambah dari hari ke hari, dan segala cara dilakukan untuk mendapatkan uang dalam pemenuhan kebutuhan tersebut. Manusia seolah tidak perduli telah melanggar nilai kepatutan, tetapi bahkan telah merusak tatanan nilai, etika, dan norma yang menjadi sendi dasar ketertiban dalam kehidupan sosial dan bermasyarakat. Ini terbukti dengan maraknya kasus suap yang berujung pada kasus korupsi di berbagai instansi di Indonesia, yang telah merusak sistem akuntabilitas publik dalam penyelenggaraan pemerintahan yang bersih. Mulai dari kasus korupsi dana nonbudgeter di PT. Kantor Pos Indonesia WIlayah IV, kasus korupsi pengadaan alat pendeteksi virus flu burung di Departemen Pertanian, kasus penyuapan terkait pengadaan kapal di Ditjen Perhubungan, kasus korupsi di Kantor Pelayanan Utama Bea dan Cukai, kasus korupsi penjualan kapal tanker raksasa di PT. Pertamina, kasus penyalahgunaan jabatan oleh mantan Dirut TVRI, kasus korupsi proyek Gerakan Rehabilitasi Nasional Hutan dan Lahan di Departemen Kehutanan, sampai kasus suap yang terjadi di Kejaksaan Agung. Dan masih banyak lagi kasus-kasus korupsi yang terjadi di departemen lain seperti: Departemen Luar Negeri, Departemen Sosial, Departemen Hukum dan HAM, Departemen Dalam Negeri, Bank Indonesia, PT. Taspen, Komisis Yudisial, sampai ke TNI. Dan yang lebih memiriskan adalah kasus suap yang melibatkan anggota dewan yang terhormat, yang seharusnya bertindak sebagai penyambung lidah aspirasi rakyat, terkait dengan kasus alih fungsi hutan di Bintan, Kepulauan Riau, yang juga melibatkan Sekretaris Daerah setempat. Belum lagi dengan kasus alih fungsi hutan mangrove di Tanjung Api-api, Sumatera Selatan. Bahkan alam (hutan) pun dijarah demi menumpuk materi, jadi tidak mengherankan ketika alam menuntut balik dengan ketidakadilan yang diterimanya. Bencana alam pun terjadi, mulai dari banjir, tanah longsor, hingga ke pemanasan global. Alam pun seolah menuntut perubahan untuk diperlakukan secara baik dan bijaksana.
Mainteater dalam lakon Sandekala pun menuntut perubahan yang diawali dengan kisah perbincangan Ki Kuncen dengan seekor burung kepodang di sebuah tempat yang bernama Tabet Surawisesa. Kemudian diikuti dengan kisah camat Suroto yang seharusnya mengayomi rakyatnya malah menyalahgunakan kekuasaan serta wewenangnya telah berani menebang pohon dari hutan keramat yang dijaga oleh Ki Kuncen, yang dari generasi ke generasi sangat dijaga kesakralannya. Hal ini membuat masyarakat yang diwakili pemuda dan mahasiswa menjadi berang dan memprotes tindakan tersebut. Belum lagi permintaan pemindahan lokasi pasar malam yang dapat mengganggu ketentraman dan kenyamanan karena berdekatan dengan areal peribadatan, seolah tidak ditanggapi oleh sang camat hanya karena menganggap hal itu akan mengurangi uang “pemasukan”. Dan seperti biasa, suara-suara kebenaran harus dibungkam dengan cara apapun, tak ketinggalan orang-orang yang menyuarakannya pun harus ditumpas. Bagus (Chandra Kudapawana), seorang wartawan, yang juga cucu Ki Kuncen satu-stunya, yang mengungkap kasus keculasan seorang walikota, malah di PHK oleh perusahaan surat kabar tempatnya bekerja. Dan lebih tragis lagi, para pemuda dan mahasiswa yang memprotes penyalahgunaan kekuasaan harus meregang nyawa ditengah serbuan peluru yang membabi buta menyerang tubuh mereka, saat bersembunyi di Tabet Surawisesa.
Lakon ini dipentaskan pada hari Selasa, 22 Juli 2008, jam 20.00 WIB, di Graha Bhakti Budaya, Taman Ismail, dengan menggunakan bahasa Indonesia sebagai bahasa pengantarnya. Dari segi cerita, lakon ini terasa sangat pas dengan momentum dimana kasus korupsi di Indonesia semakin banyak yang terkuak, dan semoga ini menjadi penyemangat buat KPK untuk lebih menunjukkan taringnya dalam memberangus pelaku-pelaku korupsi. Pentas ini juga memberikan humor lewat bahasa tubuh dan celetukan Didon (Kodrat Firmansyah) yang cukup natural untuk membantu mehilangkan rasa jenuh dan kantuk penonton pentas yang berlangsung selama lebih dari 3 jam ini. Namun, di beberapa adegan, musik latar yang terlalu keras seolah beradu dengan suara pemain, yang membuat penonton tidak bisa mengikuti dialog antar pemain secara jelas. Belum lagi, adegan konyol si Otong yang awalnya terasa lucu, namun akhirnya terasa berlebihan dan garing.
Sebelumnya, lakon Sandekala yang diadaptasi dari novel berjudul sama, ditulis oleh Godi Suwarna, juga telah dipentaskan di Bandung pada tanggal 23 dan 24 Mei 2008, dengan menggunakan bahasa Sunda. Sandekala yang disutradarai oleh Wawan Sofwan ini pun akan kembali dipentaskan dengan menggunakan bahasa Sunda pada tanggal 23 Juli 2008, pukul 20.00 WIB, di Taman Ismail Marzuki, Jakarta.
Sungguh menyedihkan, ternyata masyarakat primitif justru lebih kuat dalam memegang prinsip-prinsip moralitas dalam memaknai pertukaran melalui aneka bentuk kearifan tradisional sehingga mampu menjaga keseimbangan kosmik dan keteraturan sosial. Dapat dipastikan kalau uang bukanlah “dewa” buat mereka yang harus dipuja, dikumpulkan, dengan menghalalkan segala cara. Dan Greg Kenton juga sangat berbeda dengan pelaku-pelaku korupsi di negeri ini dan dimanapun, karena dia lebih menyukai bekerja keras untuk mendapatkan dan mengumpulkan uang yang halal. Pelan-pelan menjadi kaya adalah sebuah proses membentuk kesabaran yang dinikmatinya.
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May 1, 2019Personal Response
I really enjoyed the book Lunch Money because Greg was always looking for a way to make money. I also liked this book, because it showed how someone can make a friend even if they don't think they like them. Another thing I liked about this book, was Greg and Maura finally got to sell their comic books in the school after all their hard work. I thought the book was good because it showed how someone can make a friendship out of pretty much nothing.
Plot Summary
The beginning of Lunch Money was very interesting because it was showing all the ways a kid can make a little bit of money around a small neighborhood, and Greg did it quite successfully. Everything seemed like it was going great until Greg started selling his comic books at school to make a little bit more money. The reason everything went south, was that halfway through the day someone walked up to Greg and showed him a ripoff book of his comic book. Greg got very upset and he knew exactly who had made it; Maura Shaw. Knowing that he had her in his next hour, he charged into the room and started yelling at each other about whose idea it was. Eventually, the argument turned into Maura accidentally hitting Greg in the nose and giving him a black eye. After that incident, they both had to talk with Mr. Z. after school. Something seemed different when they went to the meeting after school because Maura was nice to Greg. From that point on, Maura was nice to Greg. They even started to write their comics together. Next, came the big problem; they created a very nice comic book but were not allowed to sell it at school. They went to the school board meeting, with very good information, about how they should be able to sell at school. Surprisingly, the school board approved of it.
Characterization
Greg was the main character of this book. He was always determined to make some money and was willing to work for it. Greg had some people who always got in the way of what he wanted to accomplish. Towards the end of the book, Greg overcame his downfalls and made money and some friends too.
Maura also had a big impact on the book because she was one of the people always in Greg’s way of making money. Maura was always trying to be friends with Greg, but he did not realize until they started writing comics together. I think Maura was always jealous of Greg, and that was why she always copied his ideas.
Impact of setting
Lunch Money took place during the start of the school year right after summer. Another place the book took place, was at Greg’s house usually after school. The reason the school year was so important to the book was, that was where Greg always was making his money. The reason Greg’s house was so important to the book was, that was where he and Maura worked on their comics together.
Recommendation
I would recommend this book to any gender because it was always leaving me wondering what was going to happen next. I would also recommend this book to middle school and above, so they could fully understand what the book is about. Lastly, I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys making money because that is what Greg is always working for.
I really enjoyed the book Lunch Money because Greg was always looking for a way to make money. I also liked this book, because it showed how someone can make a friend even if they don't think they like them. Another thing I liked about this book, was Greg and Maura finally got to sell their comic books in the school after all their hard work. I thought the book was good because it showed how someone can make a friendship out of pretty much nothing.
Plot Summary
The beginning of Lunch Money was very interesting because it was showing all the ways a kid can make a little bit of money around a small neighborhood, and Greg did it quite successfully. Everything seemed like it was going great until Greg started selling his comic books at school to make a little bit more money. The reason everything went south, was that halfway through the day someone walked up to Greg and showed him a ripoff book of his comic book. Greg got very upset and he knew exactly who had made it; Maura Shaw. Knowing that he had her in his next hour, he charged into the room and started yelling at each other about whose idea it was. Eventually, the argument turned into Maura accidentally hitting Greg in the nose and giving him a black eye. After that incident, they both had to talk with Mr. Z. after school. Something seemed different when they went to the meeting after school because Maura was nice to Greg. From that point on, Maura was nice to Greg. They even started to write their comics together. Next, came the big problem; they created a very nice comic book but were not allowed to sell it at school. They went to the school board meeting, with very good information, about how they should be able to sell at school. Surprisingly, the school board approved of it.
Characterization
Greg was the main character of this book. He was always determined to make some money and was willing to work for it. Greg had some people who always got in the way of what he wanted to accomplish. Towards the end of the book, Greg overcame his downfalls and made money and some friends too.
Maura also had a big impact on the book because she was one of the people always in Greg’s way of making money. Maura was always trying to be friends with Greg, but he did not realize until they started writing comics together. I think Maura was always jealous of Greg, and that was why she always copied his ideas.
Impact of setting
Lunch Money took place during the start of the school year right after summer. Another place the book took place, was at Greg’s house usually after school. The reason the school year was so important to the book was, that was where Greg always was making his money. The reason Greg’s house was so important to the book was, that was where he and Maura worked on their comics together.
Recommendation
I would recommend this book to any gender because it was always leaving me wondering what was going to happen next. I would also recommend this book to middle school and above, so they could fully understand what the book is about. Lastly, I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys making money because that is what Greg is always working for.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 15, 2019
Wow! This book was an excellent commentary on the problems with uncontrolled capitalism and the importance of student voice in public education. Throughout my entire education, I have heard so many amazing things about Andrew Clements, but I did not decide to read any of his books until I stumbled across this one. This book is a must read! My only problem with this book was the lack of motivation from the antagonist, Mrs. Davenport. I understand that she did not like comic books at all, but I was confused about why her passion was so intense. Clements attempted to make up a story for this during the last ten pages of the book, but it felt out of place and unconventional. Give this book a go and it will not disappoint. I'm looking forward to reading another one of his books in the near future.
June 17, 2020
This is such a cute book. I always grew up reading Andrew Clements books and I will always love them. Lunch Money is one of my favorites as I love the characters drive. Looking back I did major in business and I am hoping to work in publishing....wonder if this made more of an impact than I thought? Lol. Also the illustrations are done by the fabulous Brian Selznick, which I only realized during this reading of the book. For those of you don't know Selznick has written and illustrated several books of his own including Wonderstruck and The invention of Hugo Cabret. Go check those out too!
May 20, 2018
What kind of low-level, casual genius witchcraft is this? The clarity of the writing; the re-immersion in flipping fifth grade with all its unpleasantness; the distractable adults who care about children, of course they do, but also have a lot else going on in their heads; the instruction on how to discuss problems calmly and make compelling presentations; the economics lessons; the ethical nuance; the humor, oh God, the humor. When Greg goads Mr. Z a little bit, just a little, while he's lying on the floor with his blood phobia; when Mrs. Davenport reads comic books for the first time; this book is damn funny. I've also read The Last Holiday Concert because Clements is an easy audio download that doesn't eat all the memory in my iPhone 4 or take a million years to get through a mediocre narrative (I just finished The Road to Little Dribbling and didn't want something else to take three weeks of "...errrrr, should I stop listening to this? This is supposed to be good and it isn't."), and The Last Holiday Concert was a bit better but both are a firm five stars.
July 22, 2019
This was a good, quick read. I loved the story involved. It can help teach younger kids that at times you need to put aside your deferences, and get to know each other before you hate each other. I may read this one day again in the far future, but as of right now, I think I’ll leave it in the past.
September 1, 2020
Andrew Clements' stories are always a lot of fun. This one features an entrepreneurial 6th grade boy and his rival neighbor girl. It reminded me so much of my childhood -- finding ways to make money at recess and fighting the perceived injustices from the school administration. Great ending!
January 5, 2018
I'm not really done, I didn't like this book, so I ditched it (before the break). Any suggestions on what I should read?
April 21, 2019
Cute story. Good opportunity to discuss basic economics, work ethic, and greed with your kids/students.
December 19, 2021
This one always manages to leave me wheezing
October 4, 2025
4.5 stars Read to my 3rd and 4th graders. They loved it!
July 20, 2017
This is middle grade fiction, a story about an industrious 6th grader and his adventures in money making. He finds a formidable foe in Maura, the girl across the street. One of my favorite moments of the book involve the two of them when they are around four, racing their big wheels down the sidewalk. It's a cute story, one that I'll recommend to my kids.
May 28, 2023
3✨ My 4th graders did a month long novel study on this. I love Clements books & think he is just a classic upper elementary author.
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