The Janitor's Boy

A poignant story about a boy ashamed of his dad who is a janitor. It turns out, of couse, that his dad is a hero, and is only a janitor because it's where he landed after Vietnam. I enjoyed reading the story but I don't think I'll remember much about it a year from now. It fits right in with the author's other stories in which school employees are heroes. The aughor uses a very light and accurate touch in rendering dialogue between the fifth-grade protagonist and the adults around him. One good thing about it is that it was short, only a hundred pages or so.

What I liked most about the Janitor's Boy was the plot and the fact the it pushes readers to think about tough issues. In the beginning of the book Jack hates the fact the his dad is the janitor of his middle school and hates that the rich students make fun of him constantly. But by the end of the book, after having to work alongside his father (because Jack defaced a school desk with gum) he learns a lot about his dad and gains a newfound respect for him. The plot teaches readers not to take people for face value and to respect anyone despite their occupation. No one should be judged because they have a "lowly" job like a janitor and it's nice that the readers sees that Jack has to learn that lesson as well, even though the janitor is show more his own father. The book also pushes readers to think about tough issues and is perfect for classroom discussions. Why do the boys make fun of Jack and his dad? What are some stereotypes about janitors? Can you relate to Jack? Have you ever been embarrassed to tell others about your parents' jobs and why? Jack had nothing to be embarrassed about, but he had to learn that lesson on his own. show less

I liked some aspects of this book but wish Clements had developed the relationship of Jack and his father more. Jack is angry with his father for being the janitor at his school but instead of talking about his feelings, he defaces a desk with gum to punish his dad - hoping he would have to clean it. Jack gets caught and has to spend three weeks cleaning gum from desks. During this time, he becomes closer with his dad and develops respect for him. I wanted to know more about his father's background and I wanted to have more interactions with father and son. It was an easy read and 4th and 5th grade students might like it as an independent reading choice book.

Narrated by B.D. Wong. *Some SPOILERS* Jack Rankin's dad works as a janitor at his middle school. None of his classmates know it until he comes to clean up a student's vomit and he says "Hi, son," to Jack. As revenge, Jack vandalizes a desk with a mess of bubble gum, expecting that his father will be the one to clean it up. But the vice principal figures out Jack did it and Jack's punishment is to stay after school for three weeks scraping gum off desks and chairs. In the janitor's office, Jack discovers keys to the steam tunnel and the tower which he takes with him to go exploring. In his exploration he finds an underground room where a boy is staying for safety, thanks to Jack's dad. Jack learns more about his dad's life as a soldier show more in the Vietnam War and how his job as a janitor after the war saved his life and his sanity. show less

This is a lovely story about growing up and the relationships between dads and sons when sons begin to grow up and forge their own identity. I liked it when I was younger, and I like it now.

I read this with my student who do not love reading. I enjoyed this book because it's a great story and it takes place at school which my child can relate to. I'm not a teacher yet but I can guide my students through the chapters & help them read actively by paying attention to: point of view, character traits, character motivation, how the character changes over time, metaphor, simile, main idea & plot, even text feature. This one was enjoyable for both me and the students.

Jack Rankin is embarrassed by the fact that his father is the school janitor. His anger leads him to deface a school desk, an act that gets him three weeks of after-school gum clean-up as punishment. But it is this time spent with his dad that allows him to discover much about his father's past, the school, and Jack himself.