Judy Moody Goes to College- Gillian M.

Summary:Judy Moody Goes to College is about a third grade student who is sent to a college campus and is tutored by a college student in mathematics. Judy learns many lessons from her tutor, the most important being that ones attitude can make a large impact on the ability to learn in the classroom.

Review: Judy Moody is a stubborn third grade student who is not happy when she finds out her teacher is out of town. Her class substitute notices Judy is having trouble learning mathematics, so she recommends Judy get a tutor for some help outside of the classroom. At first, Judy is dreading going to a tutor and practicing mundane math problems. However, once Judy meets her hip college tutor Chloe, she begins to realize that math is everywhere and it can be fun! Soon Judy is relating math to several parts of her day in which she never realized math was involved.


I found this beginning level chapter book to be appropriate for second to third graders. Judy Moody is part of a series, and I have never read one of Megan McDonald’s books. Her character seemed very relatable to children her age, which I found refreshing. Judy did not always want to comply with the rules, which is typical of any child. I found the theme of this book to be attitude. When Judy has a bad attitude it is difficult for her to enjoy a task. However when her attitude shifts towards a positive light, she is more excited to learn material and share her knowledge with those around her.

A teacher could use this book as a lesson about the way people approach school. If one does not have good feelings on a certain subject, they may be hindering their growth by not wanting to learn. A positive attitude can make a difference for any student and help them have fun learning. An activity a teacher could use with this book would be asking the class if Judy’s attitude is beneficial in a specific scenario.

Citation:
McDonald, Megan. Judy Moody Goes to College. 1st ed. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Candlewick Press, 2008. Print.