Calvin Coconut: Trouble Magnet

I always love how Graham Salisbury makes the everyday multiculturalism of Hawaii come alive for young readers. This is the first of a promising new series about 4th grader Calvin Coconut and the everyday scrapes he gets into, in this case, running afoul of bully Tito, losing a pet centipede in class, and almost losing a man's kiteboard. From the descriptions, Calvin's family is of modest means and cluttered life (Dad left the family to pursue a singing career; Mom's boyfriend helps out around the house; the family takes in a friend's troubled teenaged daughter). But Calvin takes everything in stride, island-style.

Calvin Coconut: Trouble Magnet is the first in a new series by Graham Salisbury. Trouble always seems to find Calvin even when he's doing his best to avoid it. At home he has to give up his room to a girl from Texas. At school he's got a couple of bullies to avoid. To make matters worse, one of the bullies has a crush on the girl from Texas!

The Calvin Coconut books are set on the island of Oahu. As Graham Salisbury explains on the series website, he has set the books in his old elementary school. What this means is that the characters in Calvin Coconut seem real without being an obvious lesson on Hawaiian multiculturalism.

Instead of focusing on Hawaiian culture being different, Calvin and his friends learn through trial and error how show more different Texas culture. What strikes them as normal strikes Calvin's house guest as weird. Being in a Pacific rim state too, I find Hawaiian culture more normal than Texan, so I can relate to Calvin's bewilderment.

The books are best for children in second through fifth grade. There are delightful illustrations by Jacqueline Rogers to accompany the silliest of the scenes in the book.

There are four books planned and I've read two. I hope to read the others.( show less

This is another series with a young male hero that has a light heart while being a quick, easy read. I think this book would appeal to the majority of 3rd- 5th graders that read it. I like that Salisbury portrays Hawaii and particularly Oahu authentically and not as the touristy version you often see on tv. Salisbury grew up there and I've spent a lot of time there so it was nice to see the way her incorporated the culture into the story. I'm not sure if this series would hold my interest if someone asked me to read the next few books but I enjoyed Calvin and the way the diversity of cultures including food and language were presented.

Cultural connections - this would be fun if you were studying the 50 states in the classroom or as part show more of a library display with books set in each state. show less

This book will relate to any child who has a bad day at school, and spills over into a week or more. The characters are necessary to the plot as they give perspective to the story. Stella's character is a bit too mean right out of the box, but it add to the conflict. Any parent that would make their child sleep in a shed outside for a mean guest, and have this mean little girl as a babysitter, is questionable and I strayed from the story just thinking about it.. Some elements were too overplayed. The bullying was well portrayed, and funny, and any kid could relate.

This book shares a fragment of the life of Calvin Coconut, a 4th grade Hawaiian boy who (which the title explains) is drawn to trouble. I had an interesting perspective reading this book, since I happen to be very familiar with present-day Hawaiian culture. The book definitely stays true to Hawaiian ideals and the experience of growing up in that environment.

I love that this book takes place in Hawaii, and deals with issues that a lot of young adults, especially boys would go through at that time of their life. The illustrations are fitting for the story. I could see using this as a resource in classrooms to help children feel relatable to those issues.

I prefer Salisbury's novels for older readers. These are good books for elementary-age boys. Not as funny as Gantos's Joey Pigza or Jack Henry books but entertaining. The Hawaiian setting gives the stories a unique flavor.