Pencil of Doom!

Schooling Around! #2

by Andy Griffiths

From the bestselling author of THE DAY MY BUTT WENT PSYCHO, a hilarious school-based series -- this time focusing on a very magical, insidious pencil.

Henry McThrottle thought Northwest Southeast Central School was wacky. But then he comes across the Pencil of Doom ... and things get REALLY out of control.

Another hilarious school story from NYT bestselling author Andy Griffiths!

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Childrens, Humor

176 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2008

About the author

Andy Griffiths is Australia’s most popular children’s writer. He is the author of over 20 books, including nonsense verse, short stories, comic novels and plays. Over the past 15 years Andy’s books have been New York Times bestsellers, won over 50 children’s choice awards, been adapted as a television cartoon series and sold over 5 million copies worldwide.

Andy is best known as the author of the much-loved Just! series and The Day My Bum Went Psycho. In 2008 Andy became the first Australian author to win six children’s choice awards in one year for Just Shocking!, smashing his previous record of 4 awards for The Bad Book in 2005.

In 2008 Andy and his wife Jill collaborated with The Bell Shakespeare Company on the popular and critically acclaimed theatrical production Just Macbeth! which was nominated for two Helpmann Awards. In July 2010 Just Macbeth!completed a return sold-out season at the Sydney Opera House before heading to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival where it received rave reviews. The book of the play was shortlisted in the children’s section of the 2010 Prime Minister’s Literary Awards.

Andy has had a long-standing collaboration with the multi-talented illustrator Terry Denton. Together they have produced theJust! series, the wildly popular The Bad Book and The Very Bad Book, the ridiculous illustrated guide What Bumosaur is That?, and the Seussian-inspired early readers The Cat on the Mat is Flat and The Big Fat Cow that Goes Kapow! Their latest book is The 13-Storey Treehouse (September 2011).

http://us.macmillan.com/author/andygr...

Reviews

[Meera]

When a boys teacher picked up a pencil all the bad things you can think of popped out of the pencil

[Clara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Northwest Southeast Central siempre ha tenido profesores extraños y estudiantes raros. Pero ahora tiene un peligroso.... lápiz. Al principio, Henry Mc Throttle piensa que este lápiz es como cualquier otro, pero luego las cosas que dibuja empiezan a volverse reales. Sería divertido si el lápiz sólo dibujara cosas buenas, pero este lápiz es malo, lo cual es una maldición para Henry y sus amigos..... A menos que puedan borrar el lápiz de una vez por todas. Ten cuidado con el lápiz de la maldición, una vez hace sus marcas, tu vida va ir de arriba hacia abajo en maneras muy divertidas.

[Carly Laughlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book in a free little library by my house, and decided to read it to practice my French. It's a silly little story about a haunted pencil that makes drawings done with it come true (in a bad way), or grants wishes written with it - though not as intended. The story doesn't really teach any lessons or get fully resolved, but it's fine for a Goosebumps-type kid's book.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Second book in the series.
This time a pencil the principal gave Henry seems to have evil magical powers. Accidents happen to anyone who draws with the pencil. Henry does his best to destroy it but it fights back. In the end, it destroys itself.
Upper elementary will enjoy the humor.

[Jamie powter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny and Surprising book

I like this book because it’s funny and almost every single chapter usually ends on a cliff hanger. So you want to see the next chapter And read the book more.

By

Tec Powter

[Kara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read with my 7yo. He thought it was hilarious.

[Kalli · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a story about Henry and his pencil that principle Greenbeard gave him on "treasure fever". The pencil gives people bad luck and is almost impossible to destroy

[Mallory Hargett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book for elementary/middle school students.

[Cruth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pencil.
Of.
Doooooommmm!

Dun Dun Duhhhhh!

We may have gotten some cheap laughs from the title.
Perhaps even every time we picked it up.
We may not have a very sophisticated sense of humour.

Author: Andy Griffiths
No Illustrations
First Published: 2008

A chapter book for an older reader, Henry and friends being in class 5B (around 10yo) at Northwest Southeast Central School. Without as many LOLs as other books we have read by Griffiths "Pencil of Doom" is more cleverly funny with bits of humour that appeal to the older reader - puns, shock, situations.

The 8yo was completely engaged and, on completion of the shared read, dipped in to re-read sections herself

So, not a bad book. Sure, there are better books out there. But, "Pencil of Doom" was clever and funny without resorting to toilet humour, unnecessary violence, or inappropriate language. The situations were suitably ludicrous and the solutions... extreme.

But it worked.

Ponyboy? Jack is a Ponyboy?!? I do not think it means what you think it means.

Series:
Treasure Fever
Pencil of Doom
Mascot Madness!
Robot Riot!

References:
Author's website: http://andygriffiths.com.au/
W'pedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pencil_o...!

Age:
Read aloud - 5+
Read yourself - 8+

(ISBN 978-1-74261-355-0)

-CR-

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book as it was assigned to some students in my class. Needless to say, anyone familiar with Andy Griffiths books will know they are a bit of harmless fun. The group who read it seemed to enjoy it. Don't expect anything too deep or insightful. He does cleverly use silly names for characters which represent them as a person, e.g. Mr Shush the librarian and Mr Grunt the PE teacher and takes everyday situations, throws in a bit of magic to create an simple narrative. In this case a 'magic pencil' which makes pictures drawn using it come true. If it gets more of my class reading, I'm all for it!

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Henry McThrottle goes to Northwest Southeast Central school. He has a pencil that bring anything you draw to life, but not as you think. This story reminds you to be careful what you wish for, because you might get what you asked for and not what you wanted. This book makes you think that things can't get any worse, but they do.

[Kuga · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is pretty good from what I can remember. It was one of the hooks that really caught my attention, I mean it's a pencil with evil powers!?? It's good I recommend it to people who like weird-funny books!! I don't know what to really write but this book is made for pretty much anyone who likes Andy Griffiths!!goodbye! Enjoy the book

[Alex Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mostly it includes a pencil that you can't break but after you try a lot of ti es it will break but that will cause a lot of damage even a car can't break it when it runs over it. He even tried a cabbage machine thingy. I can't remember how it broke

[Emu · Rating 5 out of 5]

A funny story but just a bit freaky.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

ONe of the shortest books, I ever read, but it was really interesting!

[Cameron · Rating 3 out of 5]

It has short chapters. I don't like that there aren't many pictures.

[Demi]

it was great!!! my favorite bit was when the lion escaped out of the zoo

[Margaret · Rating 3 out of 5]

Silly read that third graders will love.

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

i think it is very good. It is about a pencil that has strange powers.

[Ben · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a really good book and had heaps of funny characters and parts

[Madie Prendergast · Rating 3 out of 5]

i read this book in year 6 but from what i can remember i found it funny and entertaining. I also liked how short the chapters were.

[Ashleigh Kirkham · Rating 5 out of 5]

so funny

[Kiran · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great book

[Dylan · Rating 5 out of 5]

it was very good book a lot of action and it was very funny

[Lexie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book, it was one of my favourites as a kid. I don't even know how many times I read it. It was hilarious!

[Miss J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really funny Northwest Southeast Central School story that's easy to read.

[D.peabody · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great fun, very funny and kept me wanting to know what could possibly happen next.

[Sarah Rednblack · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first series little me ever read! I enjoyed all 4 books, but re-read the first one so many times. I don’t recall much else other than the giddy fun and joy I had while reading it.

[Thomas]

a pretty good book
I am reading it again

[Sammy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too kiddish. I don't think I'm gonna read another book from the series.