Product Description

Two-time Newbery Medalist Lois Lowry introduces a new girl in class who loves being the center of attention and tells the most entertaining “absolutely true” stories.

There’s never been anyone like Gooney Bird Greene at Watertower Elementary School. What other new kid comes to school wearing pajamas and cowboy boots one day and a polka-dot t-shirt and tutu on another? Gooney Bird has to sit right smack in the middle of the class because she likes to be in the middle of everything. She is the star of story time and keeps her teacher and classmates on the edge of their seats with her “absolutely true” stories. But what about her classmates? Do they have stories good enough to share?

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #93171 in Books
• Published on: 2004-01-01
• Released on: 2004-03-09
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 96 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Two-time Newbery Medalist Lowry (The Giver; Number the Stars) introduces a feisty, friendly heroine in this light novel. Readers know immediately that red-haired, freckle-face Gooney Bird Greene is as unorthodox as her name: wearing pajamas and cowboy boots, she arrives at the door of her new second-grade classroom all alone, "without even a mother to introduce her." She announces she has just moved from China (which turns out to be the name of a town, not the country) and demands "a desk right smack in the middle of the room, because I like to be right smack in the middle of everything." Dressed each day in another eccentric outfit, she relays to the class a series of stories that are "absolutely true" even though they initially seem anything but. Stretching the facts creatively through some wily wordplay, Gooney Bird explains how she spent time in jail (while playing Monopoly), acquired diamond earrings at a palace (they came from a gumball machine in an ice cream shop called The Palace) and directed a symphony orchestra (she directed the lost driver of the bus transporting musicians to the auditorium). Interruptions from curious classmates heighten the fun. Never mind the dubious likelihood that a second-grader would possess such command of language and pithy delivery; youngsters will likely hope that Gooney Bird has enough tales stored in her fertile imagination to fill another volume. Final artwork not seen by PW. Ages 6-10.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Grade 1-3-Second-grader Gooney Bird Greene is new to Watertower Elementary School. She tells fantastic stories, which are "always absolutely true." Her clothes are always unusual, ranging from pajamas with cowboy boots to a pink tutu over green stretch pants. In seven chapters, she captivates her classmates with her wild tales about "How Gooney Bird Came from China on a Flying Carpet" and "The Prince, the Palace, and the Diamond Earrings." She assumes the role of the teacher as she fields the class's questions about storytelling. The students learn that stories have main characters and secondary characters, and that using the word "suddenly" gets people's attention. In the last chapter, she takes off her props, an orange fur jacket and a cowhide purse, which she used to tell how her cat fell in love with a cow, and assures her peers that everyone has all sorts of stories to tell. While the "voice" of Gooney Bird is supposed to be that of a second grader, it sounds more like an adult talking through her. Most of the time, she sounds just like the teacher. The cleverly titled stories could spark children's interest in writing their own stories. This isn't one of Lowry's best, but it's a useful read-aloud.
Janet M. Bair, Trumbull Library, CT
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Gr. 2-5. Veteran author Lowry produces a laugh-out-loud chapter book with a lead character who could easily be the younger sister of Spinelli's Stargirl (2000). Gooney Bird appears in Mrs. Pidgeon's second-grade class one October, asking for a desk "right smack in the middle of the room" because she likes to be in the middle of everything. She dresses the part, too: it's pj's and cowboy boots that first day, green stretch pants, a polka-dot T-shirt, and a tutu the next. And she loves to tell stories, every bit of them "absolutely true," from the tale of how she got her name to how she got her diamond earrings (gumball prizes) from the prince. The tales themselves, about moving, pets, and neighbors, are multilayered. They not only amuse but also illustrate characteristics of good storytelling. Before she's done, our heroine has even found ways to elicit stories from her classmates, from silent Felicia Ann to twitchy Barry. Quite a debut. GraceAnne DeCandido
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Customer Reviews

How Ramseelbird fell under the spell of Gooney Bird Greene
Author Lois Lowry is perhaps best known for her controversial, award winning, and often very interesting children's books. These books, on the whole tend to be written with the older child reader in mind. Swiveling her head a full 90 degrees to the left, Lowry has now decided to write a book with the younger child readers in mind. Hence, the creation and subsequent publication of the adorable, "Gooney Bird Greene". Tis a tale of one girl, her stories, and her awe-stricken/hand-raising/wide-eyed classmates.

When Gooney Bird Greene arrives in Mrs. Pidgeon's second grade class unannounced, nobody knows quite what to make of her. Decked out in pajamas and cowboy boots, and holding her lunch with a dictionary, she immediately becomes the class's star pupil. For you see, Gooney Bird Greene was blessed with the gift of storytelling. By sheer coincidence, Mrs. Pidgeon is attempting to teach the class all about the different parts of a story. As the book progresses and Gooney Bird tells her "absolutely true" tales, the book carefully examines what it is that makes a story either good or bad. By the end, Gooney Bird has influenced all the students (and even Mrs. Pidgeon) to tell their own stories just as she has.

The book's top notch, really. Both children and their parents reading this book will be entranced by the notion of how Gooney Bird's outrageously titled tales really do turn out to be true in the end. The tale entitled, "How Gooney Bird Came from China on a Flying Carpet" turns out to be about how Gooney Bird and her family moved from their small town of China in their car, and how GB accidentally flew out of the car while in the center of the family's old rolled up carpet. The tale, "Why Gooney Bird Was Late for School Because She Was Directing a Symphony Orchestra" is about how she directed a bus full of musicians to the local town hall where they were to play. You get the idea. The only tale GB tells that strains at its wording is, "Beloved Catman Is Consumed by a Cow", though you'll have to read it yourself to see if you agree with me or not.

When I first read the description of this book, I was greatly afraid that this would be a younger person's version of Jerry Spinelli's "Stargirl". I thought (and was completely wrong) that the book was about a girl who's completely different from her classmates, they they all initially love her but then eventually despise her, and that she would befriend the trouble making kid and the shy and quiet kid in the course of her adventures. Wrong. Wrongdy wrong wrong. This book is, in fact, about a girl and the great awe inspiring talent of spinning a good yarn. Accompanying Ms. Lowry's adept words and motifs are the illustrations of Middy Thomas. These help to drill home the fact to kids of how very cool Gooney Bird really is. I highly recommend, by the way, that all you adults out there read the back inner flap of the book for the author/illustrator description. It's very amusing.

How rare to read a book that is intended for such a young audience but is still so well written. If you've a child that tells stories all the time and is the right age for this book (it's an early chapter book, so you can decide how well it fits them yourself) then I highly recommend that you go out and get this item immediately. Similarly, if you've any interest in all in teaching the kiddies about the parts and features of a good story, go and get yourself some "Gooney Bird Greene". I guarantee you that it exceeds and surpasses all expectations. And then some.

You will love this story
Gooney Bird Greene draws the reader into her world as readily as she draws her classmates into her stories. Gooney Bird dresses in amazing outfits and tells amazing "absolutely true" stories. The author plays with words in a charming way that younger readers will accept that older readers will appreciate. Middy Thomas adds charming illustrations that will make you want to turn the page to see what Gooney Bird is wearing NOW.

This book feels good in the hands and has an appealing look to it. If you have younger children to read to, this book will hold their attention and allows nice breaks for short attention spans.

Gooney Bird Greene
Gooney Bird Greene, by Lois Lowery, is an excellent book that will have students laughing out loud! This book is great for bringing out the quiet students in any class. Gooney Bird Greene is a new student in Mrs. Pidgeon's second grade class at Watertown Elementary School. She began very quickly to liven up the room with her fun-loving personality and outrageous choicde of clothing. The class is learning how to write stories and Gooney Bird Greene has a story to tell everyday. With her "true stories" she tells, the kids learn probably more about writing ideas than they would from the teacher alone. Gooney Bird Greene is an inspiration to all the students in the class, even the ones who would never speak up or tended to shy away from the rest of the class. I really enjoyed reading this book and you will to.