Gage is reading Wonder with his class. It’s slow going for him and we struggle. On the weekends we’re going with shorter books, but trying to stay in the chapter book area. One stuck out for me and let me tell you why…
James Moody, or Stink, is tired of being Judy Moody’s little brother (Judy has her own series and this is the first of the Stink series). He has her measure him every day to see if he has grown and one day he realizes that he had shrunk a quarter inch. His gym teacher tells him this is normal in the course of a day, to shrink a bit as gravity and our own weight take it’s toll on our body (honestly, I had no idea!). Anyway, during this whole period of Stink being afraid he was really shrinking he gets to take the class pet home for the weekend, Newton the newt. His sister convinces him that the water in the tank needs to be changed and the two head to the sink where somehow Newt escapes down the drain. This is what happens next
That’s right, the GRRRRRRR! was Newton getting ground up like dinner leftovers. I cannot even tell you how much I expected Newton to somehow make some miraculous return showing that he escaped the blades, but no, it was not to be. This becomes known as the G.D.I. (Garbage Disposal Incident) and I’m still mourning Newt. I think he deserved better.
Gage doesn’t really care about reading more about Stink, thank goodness. I don’t know how many of these incidents I could take. Have you ever read of another pet being ground up in the garbage disposal or is Newt the first one?
Stacy's Books 
I’d remember if I’d ever read a book with a similar theme. This is kind of a shocking direction to go in a kids book, don’t you think?
Yes! Jason and I were both talking about how crazy it seemed. And the teacher’s response was cold. She told Stink to tell the class that Newt had run away and she’d just buy another one. Not exactly the ‘lesson’ I was looking for.
OMG! How horrible! Poor thing! Poor Gage!
Gage, was more entertained by my horrified shock than anything else. He still thinks it’s somewhat funny I’m still talking about it 😦
Oh my gosh, that seems like it could scar a kid and make them afraid of the sink and the garbage disposal.
Or give younger ones the idea that this was no big deal 😦 The book says it’s for 5-8 year olds!
What an awful story! I can’t believe that would be put in a book for kids!
It was shocking. The book says it was for 5-8 year olds. And the teacher response was almost as horrible. Totally inappropriate.
I’d be disturbed! I am disturbed. It took me a second reading to get what actually happened to Newton! Wow, so weird and awful.
I kept expecting him to pop up later in the story, because how could that really be his end in a kids book? But no 😦
That is pretty dark!
I really am still mourning Newton!
Oh My! Did not know that ha!!! When I was volunteering in the library the other day I saw some books called Capital Mysteries and I thought of Gage. Didn’t open one to look, but they looked to be on the shorter side. Not sure if you guys have looked into them.
Thank you for the recommendation! I’m headed to the library this afternoon and will track ot down 🙂
Oh me! I’m a huge animal lover and I literally cringed when I read what happened to the poor Newton! Do not think this is a book for kids! At all!!! It should be banned from elementary schools! WOW, did I just say a book should be banned? I just think it could emotionally scare kids that young.