Cookies and Crutches

Pee Wee Scouts #1

by Judy Delton

Molly Duff watches the clock on the classroom wall--tick, tick, tick. Nearly three o'clock. Time for Pee Wee Scouts! Troop 23 runs out of the classroom and down the stairs--clop, clop, clop.

Tuesday is their meeting day. Molly can't wait. Today Mrs. Peters, their troop leader, will show them how to bake cookies to earn a cookie badage. And next week is the big Skating Party!

But Molly has never baked or skated before. A cookie badge or a skating badge. Will Molly earn a badge at all?

Genres: Childrens, Fiction, Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction

80 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1988

About the author

Born on May 6th in St. Paul, Minnesota, Judy Delton lived in her hometown for most of her life. She wrote more than one hundred books for children, including the popular Pee Wee Scouts series, which sold more than seven million copies. Her writing was often compared to Beverly Cleary or Carolyn Haywood for her ability to capture the essence of childhood.

For many years, Ms. Delton taught writing classes in her home. Today, those writers are having their own books published and remember her forthright instruction and critique with appreciation. Many writers have benefited from her handbook, The 29 Most Common Writing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them.

Ms. Delton had four children and decided to quit teaching so she could stay home and raise them. Writing prolifically was her way of supporting her family. She died very suddenly of a blood infection in December of 2001. Her legions of friends and all those she taught were greatly saddened.

Reviews

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I use to love these books when I was little. I adore the original covers also. I thought it would be fun to read a few again. The main character is a girl but there are boys in the group also.

[Rykki · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Pee Wee Scouts books are kind of like a gender-free Girl Scouts or Boy Scouts. I would say that this book in particular would appeal more to girls than boys because the story is written from the perspective of a girl, Molly, who likes to wish hexes on people and crosses her eyes when she feels they have it better than she does and.

In this story the Pee Wee Scouts face two challenges. Their first challenge is baking cookies. Somehow I remember this being a lot funnier when I was a kid than I do now. The scouts learn to bake cookies at their meeting, and, of course, things go wrong. They didn't read the directions through and kind of made it up as they went along. They're clearly going to need help if they want to earn their cookie badge.

The kids then go to a skating party where a snobby girl, Rachel, has Molly feeling pretty down on herself. Molly isn't given the luxuries that Rachel gets and she's embarrassed that her feet are bigger than Rachel's, so she takes a smaller skate size than she wears. All the other kids bring dads, brothers, and uncles, but Sonny brings his mom. He gets teased for this too. However, everything takes a turn in the end with Sonny's mom not being the embarrassment everyone expected and Molly getting a badge she didn't plan on.

All in all the story is a painfully quick read, but it would be good for a read aloud with a younger child or a first reading chapter book. It's got more action than a lot of the chapter books for this same reading level. The characters are a little bit mean to each other, but it's kind of like things really worked when I was in school at least, and I hear they're much the same now.

My daughter is very excited to read these books after hearing how much I loved them as a kid. She can't wait to tackle them on her own. I think they'll enjoy them because they're a good bend between action and easy, relaxing reading.

[Pooja Banga · Rating 3 out of 5]

The members of Pee Wee Scout Troop 23 are instructed on how to bake cookies and are invited to a skating party; But, having never tried either activity, Molly Duff worries that she will not earn her merit badges.

[Heather]

A favorite series growing up.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Molly could not wait because Mrs Peters going to show the class how to bake cookies . Molly felt hungry thinking about it . Mrs peters give the class assignment to bake cookies from home . But there a trouble baking cookies .
It's good book to read and interesting story..

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Pee Wee Scouts series were some of the first chapter books I read by myself growing up, and I loved them. Now I’m going back and reading them with my daughter. While the stories are definitely not all that great, the experience of reading together and seeing her start to fall in love with reading is worth the plod through some (in my opinion) mediocre storytelling.

[Gena Lott · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute and simple chapter book for first and second graders. Simple plot and quick resolution makes the book a good one for beginning readers.
Delton is an accomplished writer and definitely knows her audience.

[Partridge Public]

Delton, Judy

[Emily Coenen Short]

I remember in first or second grade there funny books! I think I have read them all..

[Dawn Varney]

Reading with my daughter who just became a daisey Scout

[Brittany]

it was okay but could be better

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy early chapter book. A bit choppy, and the kids a tad rude, but my 1st grade Girl Scout likes these and can easily relate (even if boys are in the troop!)

[Destyne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Because I liked the cookies - the recipe was delicious