- Hardcover: 176 pages
- Publisher: HarperCollins; 1 edition (Jun 2003)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0060297921
- ISBN-13: 978-0060297923
- Product Dimensions: 21.8 x 14.8 x 1.7 cm
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 110,292 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Inside This Book
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First Sentence
David kept a running list in his head called "The Very Worst Things." Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
David kept a running list in his head called "The Very Worst Things." Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
204 of 216 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
David is a 12-year-old boy who yearns for a place to belong. He and his older sister, Lily, have been in the foster care system for several years and have contended with major obstacles. Enuretic until the age of 7, David also has trouble in school and he is often bullied.
David's social worker places him in a home in a new town and this proves to be the start of a new phase in his life. After years of making mental lists of what he thinks are the "very worst things" in numerical order, David has some things to add to those lists. He and his sister are separated and he is unhappy in school, where he is placed in a lower a grade. On the plus side, David is placed in a home with a single woman who plainly loves and wants him to be there.
School remains a major issue in David's life. He is regularly attacked by bullies and his one friend is a girl some four years his junior who has been skipped to their grade. Mab, David's newest ally helps him discover his inner strength. When David finds an owl egg, he and Mab raise the owlet together. The pair name the bird "King Arthur" after the legendary king most famous for his valor, wisdom and strength. Indeed, their conversations are round table discussions about the things they feel are important. Mab helps David read her copy of "King Arthur" and it is through this book that the bond between the two strengthens.
An excellent book that will certainly captivate readers of all age. This book is an excellent teaching tool in classrooms and is also a good family book to share. Readers of all ages will find reasons to connect with Mab and David. This book is very inclusive and people from any and all professions can get something out of it.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Torey Hayden is an amazing author and a true inspiration. Her book is great and children will really be able to relate to the book. I highly recommend it.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
12 reviews
16 of 18 people found the following review helpful
This is a good book
2 May 2004
Format:Library Binding
Hi,
I'm a 6 grader that has some problems with school like David does. My teacher read this book with me and my class. We liked the book because it is one of the only ones that we found that talks about someof the same problems many of us have in school and it helped us when we have to explain it to our other friends who arent in our class and think we are stupid, but we are not. One of the other kids in my class is a foster kid to and he never said much to anyone but he likes the book because he said he knows what david is going through.
I dont usually read much but I might want to read this book again.
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Wonderful book
5 May 2004
Format:Library Binding
As a bookseller, I sort through thousands of books per day, and nothing quite measures up to the work of Torey Hayden. Her latest endeavour into the children's book world is no exception. THE VERY WORST THING is all at once interesting, thrilling, heartwarming, and suspenseful, sure to keep kids thinking long after they put the book down. It is certainly a must-have for any classroom or library, and will make a glowing addition to your personal collection as well!
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
An Essential Classroom Read
30 April 2004
Format:Hardcover
As a classroom teacher, I am always looking for those books which draw students in, creating a world in which we, as a class, can enter. The Very Worst Thing is one of the best books I have used in my classroom. Torey Hayden confronts issues which our children face but often have difficulty articulating. The Very Worst Thing prompted discussions about bullying, standing up for what you believe, family, foster care, love, friendship, and keeping wild animals in captivity. Each afternoon after I read, my students would beg me to, "read another chapter." My students identified with David and I continue to hear, "remember what David did..." as my students relate their lives to The Very Worst Thing. We invited a wildlife expert to our classroom, and he was impressed with my students' knowledge, which came from their experience with this book. If you are the kind of teacher who enjoys real-life novels which inspire, challenge and open dialogue, you will find a gem in The Very Worst Thing. I did!
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