The Disastrous Magical Wishes of Classroom 13

July 15, 2017
The diverse cast of Classroom 13 returns for another humorously exaggerated lesson on the flipside of good fortune.In the first book of this series, the students of Classroom 13 won the lottery--which didn't quite work out as they had planned. Now, a magical lamp has fallen into the hands of their unlucky, white teacher, Ms. Linda LaCrosse. With a bolt of lightning and a cloud of smoke, a blue djinn appears, granting each child a wish. What a lucky classroom! When brown-skinned Isabella wishes for a unicorn, it destroys her house and leaves rainbow poop everywhere before growing a pair of wings and flying away. Each subsequent chapter catalogs a student's wish and its catastrophic consequences. Even Earl the Hamster is given a wish, though his (sunflower seeds) goes quite well. In series opener The Unlucky Lottery Winners of Classroom 13 (2017), the lesson learned was "money does not buy happiness." The djinn's advice to the students? "Be careful what you wish for." In the chapters from the students' perspectives, the word "genie" is crossed out and replaced with the word "djinn," both a running joke and an emphasis on cultural respect. An interesting new "character" awakens this time around--the actual classroom. The third book in the series will address the hilarious and unfortunate side of fame. An amusing, fast-paced, and easy-to-read choice for those just beyond transitional chapter books. (Fiction. 8-12)

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July 1, 2017

Gr 2-4-Elementary teacher Linda LaCrosse and her students are back in the latest installment of this delightfully quirky series. This time Ms. LaCrosse has found an enchanted lamp with a smart-aleck genie inside. Ms. LaCrosse and the kids are granted just one wish each, but the clever genie warns them to be careful. The youngsters soon learn that they may not get what they are expecting. Zoey, the shortest kid in class, wants to be the tallest, but she soon discovers that being 12 feet tall may be a bit much. Also granted, among other zany desires, are a never-ending supply of pizza, a pet dinosaur who loves to chase people, and a unicorn who crashes through walls to find its favorite treat-cupcakes. VERDICT With rib-tickling illustrations and short chapters recounting each student's unexpected and hilarious exploits, this title will hit the sweet spot for elementary kids looking for a comical read.-Mary Jennings, Camano Island Library, WA

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2018
In �cf2]Lottery�cf1], teacher Ms. Linda LaCrosse wins the lottery and splits her winnings with Classroom 13. In �cf2]Wishes�cf1], she brings a lamp to school and a djinn grants each student a wish. Readers see how these situations play out for each of the diverse group of twenty-seven students in his or her own short chapter. The wacky humor feels forced, but the many-perspectives format is interesting.

(Copyright 2018 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)