Alone in His Teacher's House (Marvin Redpost, No. 4)
Alone in His Teacher's House (Marvin Redpost, No. 4) book cover

Alone in His Teacher's House (Marvin Redpost, No. 4)

Paperback – March 22, 1994

Price
$6.99
Format
Paperback
Pages
96
Publisher
Random House Books for Young Readers
Publication Date
ISBN-13
978-0679819493
Dimensions
5.25 x 0.25 x 7.69 inches
Weight
2.56 ounces

Description

This title will lure the most reluctant readers, who will be as glad to make Marvin's acquaintance as his old fans will be to greet a new adventure."-- Bulletin, Center for Children's Books. From the Inside Flap Illus. in black-and-white. Marvin's friends think he's the luckiest boy in the world when his teacher asks him to dog-sit for a week. He gets to be alone in Mrs. North's house! But pretty soon it starts to look as if Marvin is not so lucky after all...." Illus. in black-and-white. Marvin's friends think he's the luckiest boy in the world when his teacher asks him to dog-sit for a week. He gets to be alone in Mrs. North's house! But pretty soon it starts to look as if Marvin is not so lucky after all...." To research this book, Louis Sachar actually tasted dog food. “It’s just the way I described it in the book,” says Louis. “Like cereal. But kind of gritty.”Louis Sachar is the bestselling author of the award-winning novel Holes, as well as Small Steps, The Cardturner, Stanley Yelnats’ Survival Guide to Camp Green Lake, There’s a Boy in the Girls’ Bathroom, The Boy Who Lost His Face, Dogs Don’t Tell Jokes, and the rest of the Marvin Redpost series, among many others. Visit him at louissachar.com. Read more

Features & Highlights

  • This chapter book in Newbery Honor–winning and bestselling author Louis Sachar’s Marvin Redpost series shows what happens when Marvin gets his first job.   Marvin is really excited to take care of his teacher’s dog while she’s away. He’ll even earn a bonus if he does a good job! And he gets to be alone in his teacher’s house! But when Mrs. North’s dog starts to look sick, Marvin isn’t sure he’ll get that bonus. In fact, Mrs. North may never talk to Marvin again!   Hilarious and relatable, Marvin Redpost is perfect for kids who love to bond with quirky characters like Junie B. Jones and George Brown, Class Clown.

Customer Reviews

Rating Breakdown

★★★★★
60%
(122)
★★★★
25%
(51)
★★★
15%
(30)
★★
7%
(14)
-7%
(-14)

Most Helpful Reviews

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Marvin Redpost Rules with one SPED teacher

The Marvin Redpost series has been an incredible, literature-based reading program for one of my students! This student has autism.
Each book has the same cast of characters.
The characters are believable and real to many students experiences.
The emotions of the books are understood by students. This is a real achievement for a student with autism!
There are some illustrations.
The books are chapter books but not overwhelming.
This particular book allowed me to witness something I'm celebrating:
My student with autism tried to "read ahead" in this book.
We literally had to hide the book to get him back to his other classes. This is really incredible!
Thank you Louis Sachar!
You are helping one very special student get "hooked on reading!"
6 people found this helpful
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A Good Book for the Everyday Kid

I picked up this book after reading Sachar's "Holes" to my elementary aged kids, and I was very pleased with the content. In this book, Sachar allows his readers to see life from the perspective of a regular, everyday kid -- and reading it inspired a "what-would-you-do-in-that-situation" dialogue with my own regular, everyday kids. I truly appreciated seeing a young person in this age range (the 3rd grade-ish Marvin Redpost) portrayed as having a conscious, a sense of responsibility, and the awareness to have compassion for others. Marvin is faced with a pretty grown-up sized situation concerning a beloved pet, and I think it's handled with grace and tenderness. I was pleased to see my children feeling compassion for this character, and I'm looking forward to reading more of Marvin's adventures to my own kids.
4 people found this helpful
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Beware young readers

My first grade daughter selected this book at school this week. Luckily I picked it up and read it quickly before I turned in for the night before she had a chance to start it. Although the writing is well done, the topic is definitely for the older reader. The book is very detailed about the boy finding the dog dead, and wanders on at length about the increasing guilt he is feeling, teasing from his friends and flat out scorn from a substitute teacher. What the book does right is venture to challenge kids to do any job their best, but the graphic nature of the topic and deep emotions resulting could confuse and upset a younger reader.
3 people found this helpful
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One of Sachar's Best...but better for 3rd grade and up

I honestly think that Louis Sachar's writing in his Marvin Redpost series might be his best. He has an amazing ability to create situations that ring true psychologically. I can't think of another children's author who writes better dialogue. It takes a lot of talent and humanity to write a book this simple and true; it is both funny and very touching. My only reservation involves the age this book and the other Marvin Redpost books are intended for. On the back of the book you'll see the reading level is 2.1. Because of this, many first and second grade students read the Marvin Redpost books, but they really are much better for students in 3rd to 5th. I teach elementary school and I love using Marvin Redpost with 4th and 5th grade students who are English language learners or struggling readers because the writing is so clear. Plus, older students get the humor and can relate more fully to the difficulties Marvin faces. I've probably read it 20 times and I still enjoy it every time. By the way, if this is the only Marvin Redpost book you've read, you should know that it also has the most serious themes. "Why Pick on Me?" and "Is He a Girl?" are also highly recommended.
2 people found this helpful
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his best

I've read many of Louis Sacher's books to my own children; but as a teacher, I found the ending of this book particularly touching. Sacher mixes pathos and empathy to bring us into a wonderful child's third grade world. It teaches kids lessons about love, kindness, and tenacity. Highly recommended.
1 people found this helpful
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Recommend

Good series
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My favorite Marvin Redpost book

My favorite Marvin Redpost book. Imagine being allowed to go into your teacher's house to take care of her dog! Everyone in the class is jealous of Marvin...until the unthinkable happens. Great read.
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Writing is good. Story not so much.

Sure the writing is good. Just wish my son didn't read it. For that matter wish I didn't either.
This book will teach u a lot about how the author thinks kids are jerks and even substitute teachers. Funny, but not funny. We get that enough in real life. Sorry, but I like to read "nice" stories to my son before he gets jaded by life.
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Cute book that my 2nd grader really liked. The cover of the book we received isn't ...

Cute book that my 2nd grader really liked. The cover of the book we received isn't the same as pictured here, which made him think it was the wrong book. He had started reading it at school and knew what page he was on so we checked and the book is exactly the same inside.
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Four Stars

A great children's story. Good for classroom discussions with young students (4 to 6th graders)