Module 4: Gotcha!

Bibliography: Gilson, J. (2006). Gotcha! New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Company.

Summary: Gotcha! is the story of second grade student named Richard and the class bully Patrick.  Over the course of the school day Patrick continually torments Richard by hitting him in the head with a rubber band, tricking him into falling over backwards, elbowing him in the face, and numerous other incidents.  Each time Patrick avoids any blame and rubs salt in the wound by flashing his trademark phrase “Gotcha!”.  The class goes on a field trip to a local lake later that day where Patrick almost drowns.  Richard thinks Patrick has changes and tries to make peace with him but Patrick remains the same bully he always was.  Patrick does get what is coming to him at the end when a snake he brought back from the trip sprays him with a stinky fluid.

Impressions: I wasn’t terribly impressed with this story.  Since this book was intended for an elementary audience I know the author had to keep the language simple.  However, at times the language came across as ‘too’ simple – almost as if the author was acting in a condescending manner.  The story does do a good job of relating the experience of dealing with a bully in school.  Richard’s attempts to get back at Patrick backfire and prove that when confronting a bully it is not wise to fight fire with fire.  The book was decent but one that won’t likely win any awards.

Reviews:

“This is another "Table Two" adventure about Richard and his friends who are second-graders in Miss Zookey's class. Richard's problem is with "Patrick the Pest" who likes to play tricks (mostly mean ones), and then say "Gotcha!" Richard tries unsuccessfully to get back at him with a "Gotcha" of his own. Richard has to be partners with Patrick on the field trip to the lake to learn about spiders. Things get very exciting when Patrick swings on a limb and lands in the lake. After he is rescued by the principal, Patrick appears to have changed for the better. Richard and Patrick talk it over and decide not to do any more tricks. But Patrick has another one--he shows Richard the snake in his pocket. The garter snake releases its musky smell and all the class smells stinky. Patrick gets embarrassed, and he and his father have to take the snake back to the lake. Richard gets the last laugh when he tells Patrick, "I think that garter snake already did say something. I think it just went, 'Gotcha'!" Readers will learn interesting facts about spiders and snakes while enjoying the adventures of this endearing classroom. Cute illustrations are interspersed throughout the chapters.”  – Vicki Foote (Children’s Literature)

-          Foote, V. (2006). Gotcha! Review. Children’s Literature. Retrieved from http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:2378/cgi-bin/member/search/f?./temp/~QPQFgd:2

“Richard is fed up with archnemesis Patrick. In just one morning, Richard has been zapped by a rubber band and has his nose bloodied in a scuffle. It's Patrick's fault, but Richard's name is still written on the blackboard. Then Patrick gleefully flashes a sign proclaiming "Gotcha!" just to rub it in. To make matters worse, Mrs. Zookey pairs up Patrick and Richard on a field trip to Green Lake, where the class is going to observe spiders. After Patrick falls into the lake, Richard loses his motivation for payback, and hopes that the troublemaker has learned his lesson: that the natural consequences to breaking rules can be worse than punishment. Gilson weaves a web of interesting facts about spiders and other crawly things into this fourth book featuring Mrs. Zookey's second-grade class. The reading level may be too tough for some second-graders, but kids will have no trouble recognizing the emotions and experiences captured by the story or Wummer's simple drawings.  – Nancy Kim (Booklist, Apr. 1, 2006)

-          Kim, N. (2006). Gotcha! Review. Booklist, Vol. 102, No. 15. Retrieved from http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:2378/cgi-bin/member/search/f?./temp/~QPQFgd:2

Suggestions for Use in a Library:

This book can be used to launch a discussion on bullies.  The librarian and children in a group can discuss how to deal with a persistent bully.