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Jack Strong Takes a Stand: A Charlie Joe Jackson Book (Charlie Joe Jackson Series) Paperback – January 27, 2015
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Jack Strong just wants to be a regular kid. But his parents have overscheduled his week with every extracurricular activity under the sun: tennis, baseball, cello, karate, tutoring, and Chinese language lessons―all on top of regular homework. His parents want him to be "well-rounded" and prepared for those crucial college applications. Jack's just about had enough.
And so, he stages a sit-in on his couch and refuses to get up until his parents let him quit some of the extracurriculars. As Jack's protest gains momentum, he attracts a local television host who is interested in doing a segment about him. Tensions rise as counter-protesters camp out across the street from Jack and his couch. Jack's enjoying this newfound attention, but he's worried that this sit-in may have gone too far.
- Reading age9 - 12 years
- Print length256 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- Grade levelPreschool - 2
- Lexile measure640L
- Dimensions5.25 x 0.58 x 8 inches
- PublisherSquare Fish
- Publication dateJanuary 27, 2015
- ISBN-10125005687X
- ISBN-13978-1250056870
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Editorial Reviews
Review
“A cautionary tale the whole family will find amusing and enlightening.” ―Kirkus Reviews
“Greenwald successfully melds plot and character surprises to engage youngsters and brings the story to an emotionally satisfying conclusion. Both avid and reluctant readers will enjoy meeting Jack Strong.” ―School Library Journal
“Readily accessible to reluctant readers, but this is sure to entice a wide range of kids, who may just want to stage standoffs themselves.” ―Booklist
About the Author
Melissa Mendes is a cartoonist and illustrator living and working in Hancock, MA with her best beau Charles Forsman and their best cat Bruce. She illustrated Tommy Greenwald's Jack Strong Takes a Stand.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
I was about to go to soccer practice when I decided to go on strike.
I didn’t mean for it to become this big thing.
I was just feeling kind of tired, that’s all.
But the next thing I knew, there were two big television trucks outside my house.
There was a stage on my front lawn, with lights mounted on twenty-foot poles. There was a television host sitting right next to me. There was an audience gathered in front of the stage, full of people. Half of them thought I was a hero, the other half thought I was a menace to society.
And they were all there because of me.
Just because I sat down on a couch.
Who would’ve thought?!
* * *
But first, a little background information.
My name is Jack Strong, but I used to wish it wasn’t.
I know, it sounds like a cool name. And it would be a cool name, if I actuallywere strong. But I’m not. Just lifting my ridiculously heavy backpack in the morning is a challenge.
The truth is, I’m kind of weak.
Which the other kids think is hilarious, of course.
I go to Horace Henchell Middle School. It’s a typical middle school. The classrooms are way too hot, and the cheeseburgers are way too cold. No one knows who Horace Henchell is, but it’s generally assumed that he is both well respected and dead.
I do really well at the school part of school. My grades are excellent, and the teachers like me. I don’t make trouble.
The non-school part is a little harder for me. I’m not what you would call a loser or anything, but I’m definitely not at the top of the heap, either. I’m in that huge middle section of kids who mind their own business and try to get through the day without any real drama. Usually it works. I’m not a great athlete, and I don’t think the modeling agencies will be calling anytime soon, but some people seem to think I’m pretty funny. Every once in a while I make a joke in class that the other kids laugh at, and that’s enough to keep me off the list of dorks and lame-os, at least for the time being.
I have one really good friend, Leo Landis, who I’ve eaten lunch with every day since second grade, and one really bad enemy, Alex Mutchnik, who’s hated me ever since he was caught cheating off my math quiz last year. (I didn’t tell on him, but he hates me anyway.) Alex’s favorite activities are knocking my backpack off my shoulders and gluing my locker shut.
You know, typical school stuff.
But I definitely don’t hate school. There’s a lot about it that I like.
For instance, there’s Cathy Billows, who’s so pretty that it makes my eyebrows hurt. There’s Mrs. Bender, my favorite teacher, whose tiny but unmistakable mustache makes me smile every time I see it.
And there’s the bus ride home.
The ride home is incredibly important because it’s the one time of day I have completely to myself. I always sit in the same seat: third row back, window seat on the left. The seat next to me is usually empty, but I don’t mind—it gives me a place to put my backpack. And as the bus slowly rolls away, I gradually begin to put the school day behind me.
“Have a nice night, Horace,” I say. And then—using my jacket as a pillow—I rest my head against the window, smile, close my eyes, and think about my absolute favorite thing in the world.
The couch.
* * *
To someone who doesn’t know any better, our couch is no great shakes.
It has one or two rips in it, from when my dog, Maddie, makes herself comfortable a little too aggressively. It has plenty of stains—soda stains, sauce stains, chocolate stains, and several mystery stains. And it might not surprise you to learn that it smells a little, too. My mom always talks about getting rid of it, but I won’t let her.
Because to me, that couch represents everything good.
It’s where I watch Dancing with the Chimps, my favorite TV show. It’s where I playSilver Warriors of Doom II, the video game that Leo and I would happily play until we are old men, if only our parents would let us. It’s where Maddie lies down on my lap, even though she’s way too big to be a lap dog.
It’s where I daydream about Cathy Billows.
It’s where I forget about Alex Mutchnik.
It’s where I eat a huge bowl of Super Fun Flakies every day after school.
I could go on and on, but I think you get the picture. The couch is pretty much my favorite place in the world.
The only problem was the outside world kept interrupting.
Because here’s the thing: I was probably the most overscheduled kid in the entire universe. Or, at least, I was tied with all the other overscheduled kids. And there wasn’t anything I could do about it.
And then came the week of June 6.
Text copyright © 2013 by Tommy Greenwald
Illustrations copyright © 2013 by Melissa Mendes
Product details
- Publisher : Square Fish; Reprint edition (January 27, 2015)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 256 pages
- ISBN-10 : 125005687X
- ISBN-13 : 978-1250056870
- Reading age : 9 - 12 years
- Lexile measure : 640L
- Grade level : Preschool - 2
- Item Weight : 6.4 ounces
- Dimensions : 5.25 x 0.58 x 8 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #2,201,032 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #227 in Hunting & Fishing Humor
- #5,086 in Children's Parents Books
- #25,043 in Children's Friendship Books
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

Tommy Greenwald is the author of many books for children and young adults, including GAME CHANGER, which was a YALSA Top Ten Pick for Reluctant Readers, an Amazon Best Book of The Month, a Junior Library Guild Gold Premiere selection, and the winner of the Connecticut, Kentucky and Rhode Island Middle School Reading Awards; RIVALS, an Amazon Best Book of The Month and Junior Library Guild Selection; and DINGED, a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard selection. His new book THE RESCUES: FINDING HOME is a collaboration with his son Charlie, and illustrator Shiho Pate.
Tommy is also the author of the CHARLIE JOE JACKSON, CRIMEBITERS, PROJECT Z and GOOD SPORTS LEAGUE series, the Co-Founder of Spotco Advertising, an entertainment advertising agency in New York City, and the lyricist and co-bookwriter of JOHN & JEN, an off-Broadway musical.
To read woefully outdated information about Tommy, visit tommygreenwald.com.
Customer reviews
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- Reviewed in the United States on August 15, 2016Kids read the book as a summer reading assignment and they enjoyed it. It was light hearted and kept a good pace.
There were times they didn't want to put the book down to see what happened next. Lots of fun and will be getting more books from this author.
- Reviewed in the United States on July 30, 2020Arrived on time. Good book for the child who was reading for school.
- Reviewed in the United States on May 8, 2016I would say that it is a very amazing and interesting book and when you began the book you probably wouldn't want to stop reading until you finished the book.
- Reviewed in the United States on July 14, 2015This book was the best book I ever read.it was really entertaining and really funny. For example the nana .
- Reviewed in the United States on July 19, 2015I put 4 stars because the book was interesting in some ways and not in others the book would be better if it was not so much about all his troubles in life and be more of a story to i it was a good book overall.
- Reviewed in the United States on February 6, 2014This book is awesome! I love the story line and there are surprise twists when you least expect it. I totally recommend this book!
- Reviewed in the United States on March 21, 2016I would love to have a sequel!
- Reviewed in the United States on July 8, 2015My 11 year old son loved the book!!!