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Arthur's Teacher Trouble

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Arthur's Teacher Trouble
Little, Brown and Co. Cover
AuthorMarc Brown
LanguageEnglish
SeriesArthur
GenreChildren's literature
PublisherAtlantic Monthly Press
Publication date
1986
Publication placeUnited States
Media typePrint (Paperback)
Pages30
ISBN978-0-87113-091-4
OCLC13185290
Preceded byArthur's Tooth 
Followed byArthur's Baby 

Arthur's Teacher Trouble is a book in the Arthur series, released in 1986.[1] It was written by Marc Brown and published by Atlantic Monthly Press.[2]

Plot

Arthur and his friends have a strict teacher, Mr. Ratburn. When the first Day of school was over, the bell rang and the students filled in alphabetical order from Room 13. Arthur then worries and talks to his friends That he couldn't even believe That his Teacher gave him and his friends some homework for the first Day, Then Prunella speaks to him That she had the rat last year and feels very sorry for him. Then Binky barnes told Arthur to make One wrong Old Move and his Teacher puts him on death row. Then Chris believes That he's really just a vampire with lots of magical powers, Before Arthur and the Children are ready to leave, The principal, Mr. Haine came out from his office and brought a Big trophy and asks everybody for the "September Spellathon". Then the crowd cheers loud by saying "YES!". Then Prunella asks everyone if she will win again This year. Then Francine whispers " not if I can help it". That afternoon, Arthur's Mother: Jane was making cookies When Arthur comes home from school and slams the back door. Then Mother asks how school was, Then Arthur grumbles That he got the strictest Teacher in the world. Then his Mother told him to have a chocolate chip cookie. Arthur would like to have a cookie, But he doesn't have time to eat One. Then his Little sister, D.W. says she'll eat his and has no homework. Then Arthur tells Her That she doesn't even go to school. Then D.W. Knows. After Dinner That Evening, Arthur was doing his homework making a map of Africa. Then D.W. believes That it looks just like a pepperoni pizza. Then D.W. told him that next year she would not have any homework cause Miss Meeker isn't giving it. Then Arthur calls his Mother like "MOM!" That his Sister was Being such a pest. Then his Mother told him that it was almost time for bed. By the next morning, Mr. Ratburn told Arthur's class that they would study harder than ever and they will be given a few words to study. Every week, Arthur's class studied harder than ever. Francine was reading Book called "Spelling Tricks and Tips" while drinking plum soda and wearing her movie star glasses. Muffy was busy doing work on the computer finding games, Buster was picking out a good luck charm. Then the Brain was taking a nap on top of the books. One Thursday, Arthur was in his tree house spending a lot of good time looking for some quiet places to study. On Friday, It was time for the best test, Arthur and his friends are busy spelling words, Once Arthur was taking the test, He could just hear Miss Sweatwater's Class making some popcorn. Then he also could hear Miss Fink's Class having a field trip to the aquarium. Then whispers to Francine "Why did we have to get stuck with the rat?". During Lunch, Mr. Ratburn corrected Arthur and his friends' Paper list of words. Then Muffy smiles, Francine starts having the hiccups and Buster patted his good luck charm. And soon, Mr. Ratburn clears his throat that the class representatives will be Arthur and the Brain, Then Muffy says that they're must be some mistake. Mr. Ratburn gives Arthur and his friend, the Brain, a list of spelling words and tells them to studied these and be ready for the all-school spellathon in two weeks. At home, Arthur's family decided to help him study. Grandma Thora asked him a bunch of words. Then his father asked him about chores like "C-H-O-R-E-S" and his Mother added that he made his bed like "B-E-D". When Arthur decided to study, D.W. helped by answering the door when Buster and Francine came over that Arthur couldn't play, but she can because she doesn't need to study. On Friday Night, Arthur's Grandma couldn't believe that the spellathon is finally here, Then D.W. suggests that She, Mother, Father and Grandma Thora should finally get a little peace and quiet, Then Arthur's parents say "Good luck" to him, From backstage when the people and the whole school filled in the auditorium, Mr. Ratburn is happy that today's the big day, The Brain feels fine then Arthur wishes that he was still back in bed, Later, The principal welcomed everyone and also explains the rules when the Brain had the first turn and spells "Fear" like "F-E-R-E" and was incorrect, The Brain asked if he was sure and asked what kind of dictionary he was using, Then Brain had disappeared like a ghost when the representatives from Mrs. Sweetwater's and Mrs. Fink's class had been gone in a flash from the chairs, Then Arthur and Prunella were left, It was Prunella's turn, Then Mr. Hanes says the word "Preparation" as Prunella starts staring at her feet and asks if she could have the definition and spells the word and knows the process of getting ready, Then Prunella spells the word "Preparation" like "P-R-E-P-" Then pauses and continues "E-R-A-T-I-O-N". It is incorrect and Arthur gets a chance to spell it. Arthur looks out over the audience and takes a little deep breath and says "P-R-E-P-A-R-A-T-I-O-N" and the principal says "CORRECT!" as Mr. Ratburn's class cheers so loudly. Then Mr. Ratburn went to the microphone and reveals that this was the last third grade that he will have in the spellathon, But next year, He looked forward to a new challenge teaching kindergarten when D.W. looks a little surprised and frightened about school. [citation needed]

Adaptations

Computer game

Box cover of the computer game

The book was adapted into a computer game by Living Books in October 18, 1996,[3] and later turned into an app in 2012.[4] It is the first of five Arthur books to be adapted into a computer game, and the second game released from the Living Books series.[5][6] Unlike the television series, which separated the original book into two mini-episodes, the game keeps the story as one.

Television episodes

The title was also adapted into two television episodes in the Arthur TV series. They were titled as "Arthur and the Real Mr. Ratburn" and "Arthur's Spelling Trubble." The episodes aired together, on September 9, 1996. VHS releases of "Arthur and the Real Mr. Ratburn" change the title card to "Arthur's Teacher Trouble" to reference the original book.

Reception

Initial critical reception for the book was mostly positive, with the Living Books adaptation being particularly praised.[3][7][8][9] Later critical reviews expressed concern over the media effects of the book, with David Wray stating in Literacy: Major Themes in Education that much of the effects were "incongruent to the story".[10] Matt Jackson of the Children's Literature Association commented that the Living Book software's features gave off the impression that "passivity is bad" questioned the product's packaging phrasing of "Children don't just read them. They live them.", in that it inferred that books were inferior to CD-Roms.[11]

Jackson also criticized the book's usage of stereotypes, such as Arthur's teacher Mr. Ratburn being a "stereotypical male teacher — a mean disciplinarian, a student's worst fear".[11] Ann Trousdale also criticized the stereotyping of Ratburn, writing that he "dominates and oppresses his students" and almost a caricature.[12]

References

  1. ^ Children's Literature Association Quarterly. 1996. Retrieved 23 October 2012.
  2. ^ Brown, Kathleen J. (December 1999). "What Kind of Text: For Whom and When? Textual Scaffolding for Beginning Readers". The Reading Teacher. 53 (4): 292–307. JSTOR 20204794.
  3. ^ a b "Forging Ahead or Fit to be Smashed?". Computer Gaming World. April 1993. p. 24. Retrieved 6 July 2014.
  4. ^ "The Living Books Series Returns as Storybook Apps". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved 23 October 2012.
  5. ^ Smith, Geoff. "`Arthur's Teacher' entertains kids". Boston Herald. Retrieved 23 October 2012.
  6. ^ "Trying Out Digital Storybooks With a 4-Year-Old, Part 3: Arthur Reads Series". Wired. Retrieved 23 October 2012.
  7. ^ "The Horn Book Magazine Volume LXXIII: January–December 1997, p 224" (PDF). Horn Book. Retrieved 23 October 2012.
  8. ^ Oldenburg, Don. "Computers; Plugging In For a Fun Read". The Washington Post. Retrieved 23 October 2012.
  9. ^ "SCHOOL KIDS CAN RELATE TO THE BELLS AND BOOKS IN `TEACHER TROUBLE'". Deseret News. Retrieved 23 October 2012.
  10. ^ Wray, David (2004). Literacy: Major Themes in Education, Volume 4. Routledge. pp. 147–150. ISBN 0415277124.
  11. ^ a b Jackson, Matt (Spring 1997). "The Troubling Lessons of Arthur's Teacher Trouble: Old Stereotypes in a New Commodity". Children's Literature Association Quarterly. 22 (1): 30–36. doi:10.1353/chq.0.1194. Retrieved 23 October 2012.
  12. ^ Trousdale, Ann (Spring 1992). "Why Is This Teacher Smiling? Portrayals of Teachers in Picture Books for Young Children". Feminist Teacher. 6 (3): 25–31.
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