Say What?

by margaret peterson haddic

Sukie is worried—her parents are acting strange. When she runs in the house, her dad asks, "If all your friends jumped off a bridge, would you jump off a bridge too?" When she eats peas with her fingers, Mom yells, "You'll put an eye out with that thing!"

What is going on? Have her parents been replaced by aliens? Are they robots with broken circuits? She and her older brothers decide to investigate. And what they discover leads to a kids-against-parents WAR!

This very funny book casts a new light on family rules.

Genres: Realistic Fiction, Humor, Fiction, Childrens, Middle Grade, Juvenile, Chapter Books

91 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[Ruhama · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sukie was the first to notice—her parents were not behaving normally. When she’s sneaking the glitter into her room, her dad doesn’t scold her—he asks if everyone jumped off a bridge, would she go to? It takes some clever sleuthing and a few kid meetings for her brothers and her to come to the conclusion that their parents are trying to trick them into being good! The three of them decide to wage war with their own strange behavior...

This is a cute story that is helpful in explaining why parents do the things they do (sometimes), and how kids can be smart as well. I enjoyed this quick read, and love how this family gets along well, and how their good humor ends up saving the day at the end of the book. There are a few black and white illustrations scattered throughout, enhancing the story. Pair this with a few of your manners books from nonfiction and you’ve got a great set for parents to check out!

[Jaliyah Hunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was Amazing I loved how at the ending the parents and the kids all made a war to if a parents used wired words insead of yelling at them the parents got a strike and if the kids did any thing bad then they would get a strike. And it was my favorite type of book because it was like a mystery!

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 3 out of 5]

This realistic fiction chapter book by Margaret Peterson Haddix introduces six-year-old Sukie, seven-year-old Reed, and nine-year-old Brian, three kids whose parents seem to have suddenly lost their minds. Usually, when the kids do something wrong, they can predict the warning they will receive from their parents, but lately, Mom and Dad have been giving the wrong warnings for the wrong offenses. When Sukie kicks Brian, Mom says, “Waste not, want not” and for running in the house, she gets asked, “If your friends jumped off a bridge would you jump off a bridge, too?” At first the kids speculate that their parents have been replaced by robots, but when they learn the truth, they decide it’s time to give the adults a taste of their own medicine.

Say What? is a funny slice-of-life family story that is ideal for parents and kids to read aloud together. It focuses on simple everyday issues of discipline, communication, and listening skills that come up in every family, and puts a new spin on them, opening up opportunities for lots of fun discussions about how families work. The text is simple enough that new chapter book readers can read it independently, but the plot is also interesting enough that adults will stay invested in it as well. Each of the three children is a well-developed character with a unique personality. Reed’s active imagination, Brian’s bossy older brother persona, and Sukie’s sweet innocence complement each other perfectly, and the siblings’ teamwork is one of the story’s best features.

The best audience for this book will be kids who like gentler books that stick close to home. Readers who enjoy the Princess Posey, Martin Bridge, and Ellray Jakes series will feel right at home in this story, and will be pleased (as I was) to learn of Haddix’s other chapter books: The Girl With 500 Middle Names and Dexter the Tough.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Parents saying the wrong things! Is that any way to discipline your kids?

[Val Riewe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story. I’m reading it with a small group of kiddos. They are really into the story and it’s fun to listen to them guess and predict what will happen next!

[Chance Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is better than I thought and remember. Really cute, fun, and lighthearted.

Cover
The cover is fine. Not my favorite illustrated direction it could have gone in but it's fine. It's a completely different art style from the interior. I do have to give them credit that it's a full bleed cover right onto the back. (Almost)
If there was anything to critique I do have to question the choice of having Brian in an orange shirt. It sort of looks like a river of orange juice escaping the cup.

Interior
Story
It's really cool how much they think and talk like kids and that each one acts uniquely different. With all three having very distinct personalities also dictated by their age.
I like the touch that the kids know but absent mindless isn't the only role in the problem. I do like how part of the problem is nodded to the parents long lectures at least in the children's perspective. I'd almost say from the writing that it's almost toying that from how unruly border lining anger problem but not quite there. Using the concept of desensitizing them from over used lectures to the point they don't care is really creative direction.
The story is really fun and quite comical and the war with words is not only incredibly creative but very intentionally written for each scene.

Illustrations
I love these illustrations. They are full of personality and I actually love them more than the cover.

[Marg · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was a silly quick read, almost like watching an episode of a sitcom you've never seen before.
trio of siblings are confused because their parents keep saying the wrong things to scold them, and decide to do it right back to them.
Could see this really resonating with some kids (especially ones who feel like grownups are unreasonable)

[Day · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read several books by Margaret Peterson Haddix, but this by far is my least favorite. I liked the idea for the story, but it jumped points of view so much that I had a hard time keeping track of what was going on.

[Pamela Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm used to Haddix' books being intense but this one is funny! Three kids' parents start talking oddly when the kids get in trouble and the kids are confused. It morphs into an all-out war and ends well. Highly recommended. Would make a great read-aloud to a classroom.

[Heather N. Bean · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun, quick read. Highly recommend it to anyone who feels their children don't listen to them or to kids who feel their parents keep saying the same things over and over again.

[Natalia · Rating 5 out of 5]

super funny and super short

[Jeni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute book. Perfect for elementary.

[Sarah]

Easy read aloud for as young as 1st grade

[Curran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Say what
Margaret Peterson Haddix


Margaret Peterson Haddix’s say what has lots of mystery going on with what their parents are saying for example when Sukie is running across the family room with glitter and spills it all over the floor all her dad says is don’t pick your nose.

The kids are just having a day at home when suddenly their parents start speaking wacko. The kids start doing mischievous things to get their parents to snap, but later come up with a theory that their parents are robots or aliens.

This book can get you laughing hysterically at times like when Sukie begs Brian to have a kid only meeting but Brian says “I can only call kid meetings”. This book can get you thinking seriously too, like when all of the kids try to get their parents to say something serious it just makes you think why this out of everything else they could have done.

In conclusion, this book is very funny and makes no sense but has a fun ring to it.

[Christy]

What is going on in the Robinson household?! Every time the kids do something wrong the responses they get are completely different from their actions? What's going on with her mom and dad? An example: when Sukie is running through the house with glitter and falls and it goes everywhere her dad says, "If all your friends were jumping off a bridge, would you?" Make any sense? Sukie talks to her brother what they think about their parents weird behavior and they both come to the same conclusion, they have to find out what's going on with them.
Reed, her other brother, wakes Sukie up from her almost sleep one night and says he has solved the mystery! He told her that their parents were doing some experiment from a magazine! Sukie was pleased Reed told her before Brian but she was kinda sad she was missing out on the wonders her dreams would have brought her. They wake Brian up and the boys get in a tug of war match over the magazine then they finally get to the right article and are horrified at what they see. Their parents are trying to turn them into perfectly behaved children! After a their "Kids Meeting" they decide they are going to do the same thing to their parents that they had been doing to them.
How will it turn out? Will it be a full blown war between the parents and the children? You will have to read this joked filled book to find out!

There are a few illustrations throughout the book, drawn by James Bernardin, and they are really cool! They looked to have been drawn with charcoal pencil on paper. They look amazing! Illustrators never cease to amaze me with how well they can depict a certain part of a book in just one picture.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Margaret Peterson Haddix is a favorite of mine, and this was the first time I had read a lower level elementary series book she had written. In this lighthearted story, three siblings try to figure out why their parents are saying the wrong things at the wrong time to correct their children's behavior. For instance, when Sukie spilled glitter all over the living room rug, her Dad said, "Don't pick your nose. That's gross!" Sukie, who is only five years old, decides to hold a meeting with her two brothers in order to figure out what is going on. Reed discovers that his parents are tired of being ignored by their children, and his parents heed the advice of a magazine article that says if you say the wrong thing to your children to correct their behavior that children will pay closer attention and stop the problem behavior. So the siblings decide to get back at their parents by responding back with the wrong thing as well. One day, Brian puts his muddy feet on a couch pillow, and his mother said, "Don't talk with your mouth full!" He responded by saying,"Sukie started it!" Eventually, things come to a head at the dinner table when everyone breaks out into laughter and a treaty is signed by all parties to improve behavior overall and to start making sense around the house again. A cute story for young readers - K - 2.

[Taylor Howard]

Sukie begins to notice that her parents are acting funny. They begin saying random things to the children when they do something wrong like when Sukie spills glitter and they say, "Sukie do not pick your nose. That is a bad habit!" The kids have many meetings to try and figure out just what is wrong with their parents! It's not until Sukie finds an article telling parents to do this to help their children behave more. The children begin to catch on and pretty soon the whole house is speaking gibberish!

I loved this book! I thought it was very funny and entertaining, not only for children but for me as well. I think any children would enjoy this because it is fun to be involved in the craziness. The black and white illustration helped the reader to picture characters, but I do think these could be done in a much more interesting way and had more.

[Youth Services · Rating 3 out of 5]

At first it seems like a normal day. Sukie is running through the living room with glitter tubes in her hand even though her mom and dad had told her at least 10 billion times not to. Suddenly Sukie’s dad rounds the corner. “Oh no,” thinks Sukie. “I’m busted.” Sukie waits for the inevitable “No running in the house” lecture, but instead her dad says “If all your friends jumped off a bridge, would you jump off too?” Sukie is so shocked by this strange response, she spills the glitter all over the living room carpet. “Oh no,” she thinks. Now I’m really in trouble. But all her dad says is “Don’t pick your nose. That’s a gross habit” and walks away. What is going on with Sukie's parents? The answer will surprise you. MS

[Kaylee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Say What? is a great, short chapter book. I loved the simple black and white illustrations throughout the book although there were very few, showing the readers what the characters look like so the reader can actually imagine the characters throughout the book. The family is very close, showing the importance of humor and in a sense working together as the children did to find out why their parents were acting so crazy. It reminded me of something my parents would do when I was younger; thank goodness they didn’t read this book and get any ideas! Not only is it humorous, but it shows how important discipline as well as listening is in everyday life. This is a great book for kids who are just starting to read chapter books being as it’s an easy read.

[Monica971 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This 740 Lexile book is a cute and quick read. It is about Suki, Brian, and Reed Robinson whose parents have started to act very strange. Whenever the kids do anything wrong, their parents say something completely unexpected. For example, when Suki spills glitter all over the floor, her dad tells her, "Don't pick your nose. That's a gross habit." The kids try to figure out what is going on, and are surprised by what they find. I bought a copy for my son for Mrs. Haddix to autograph when she visited our school. She was a great speaker and I would definitely recommed her for intermediate grades.

[Jackie · Rating 3 out of 5]

When Sukie, Brian, and Reed's parents decide to say the wrong phrase at an inopportune time, they start to worry. Were their parents taken away and replaced by robots? Just when things have gotten totally out of control, Reed solves the mystery. A magazine article suggests that parents should give kids a wrong command in hopes that they will shape up and be more cooperative...stuff like Mom saying, "waste not, want not" when Sukie kicks her brother.

Now, the kids get in on the act and the whole house is talking crazy speak. Who will crack first? And, will the kids listen any better?

[Hallie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book I read was called “Say What”. There were five main characters which are Mom and Dad the two boys Brian and Reed and the youngest of them all little Sukie. Out of all five characters my favorite is little Sukie. Sukie is my favorite character because she you the youngest and you probably think since she is the youngest she gets everything and whatever she wants all the time, but guess what your wrong. Since this book was so good I would like to read other books by this author too.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everyone who has ever been a kid in a family KNOWS the Parent sayings that go with t he actions, from "don't chew with your open" to "If Joey jumped off the cliff, whould you jump off the cliff?" So what happens when those sayings get reshuffled?
This is afun anedfunny story of what some kids did when they found their parents sayings where all shuffled around, and how it made them feel. The read was Good, and pleasant, with a Parenting idea that got off the ground and went running in a direction they didn't expect...

[Ingrid · Rating 3 out of 5]

Suki and her two brothers notice that their parents say strange things to them when they misbehave. What has gotten into them? The kids discover that their parents are using a new parenting technique and they decide to use this same technique with their parents. This leads to some interesting conversations. I think that this book would appeal to younger readers who are just starting to read chapter books.

[Tracie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sukie and her brothers don't know what to think when their parents begin to ignore the siblings' misbehavior and instead spout parentisms like "Eat your vegetables." instead. After the kids discover it is a parenting technique meant to confuse them into better behavior, Sukie and her brothers decide to turn the tables. Not my favorite Haddix but an interesting premise.

[Jey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to check out this little book written by the author of the Shadow Children series. I found it in the intermediate readers section of the library. Since the premise was a war between the kids and the parents, I needed to know.

Actually, it was pretty cute. It would be a good discussion for middle-aged kids (6-12ish) about parenting and rules and obedience.

[Judi Paradis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Funny chapter book for kids in grades 2-4. The Robinson kids are more than puzzled when their parents begin to give the wrong correction for every mistake the kids make. When they drop food, mom says, "What do you think this is? A barn? Close the door!" When the kids fight, Dad tells them to eat their vegetables. Finally the kids figure out what is going on--and how to get back at their parents

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is humorous and would be great for children just starting in chapter books. It is about parents trying a new tactic on how to get their children to behave but it backfires. I'm sure that the children will be able to relate to it especially the parents always giving them the same orders.

[Marilea Blair · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very funny book and I loved the whole idea of the experiment that the parents pull on the kids! This is a good book to transition students from picture to chapter books. It would also make a good read aloud for students and it could help teach them why having rules is important. I would also keep this book in the classroom library for students.

[Ashley Brock · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was for every young readers that are starting out reading chapter books . It was a very cute book and pretty funny .It made you think about how kids act and if you truly understand why they act the way that they do . It was a easy read and kept me wanting to read more . I wanted to know why the parents were acting the way that they were .