No Talking, by Andrew Clements

February 1, 2008 by Todd

Four days about birds, 2 books, 2 movies and I was all set to write about another bird book when I took a bribe (iced coffee is a wonderful bribe for me) to not write about birds to end the week.

So let’s move on and forget about the birds and change the focus to: No Talking by Andrew Clements.

Clements, a former elementary school teacher has been writing books for children for years and has become a household name since the publication of Frindle in 1996. No Talking was published last year I have read this book aloud to 2 separate groups: A summer school group of children at Norge Elementary School and my daughter’s 5^th grade class this year at Clara Byrd Baker Elementary School with great results!

Dave Packer is researching a school report on India and while he is preparing for his oral report he reads that Gandhi practiced not talking one day a week to clear his mind. Dave decides he can do that as well and the novel is set moving. Dave forgets his one day promise to not talk when he over hears a girl in the lunchroom and the two set up a competition: Boys against the Girls, No Talking for Two Days.

Mr. May’s 5^th grade class held the same competition around Thanksgiving, the boys claim the girls cheated (I wouldn’t have expected anything different) but the girls won…but who is the winner in the novel, and more importantly what lessons are learned?

Check the WRL catalog for No Talking

Posted in Books, Children's, Quick read, Readers' advisory, Todd's Picks | 19 Comments

19 Responses

on February 1, 2008 at 12:41 pm | Reply Jessica

What a nice change! No birds!

I’d be interested in trying this experiment at work. Which librarians could go the longest without talking?

I went without talking once, the day after the 2004 presidential election. I dressed in black and didn’t say a word all day– EXTREMELY difficult when you’re working at a reference desk, but I managed. Didn’t do one whit of good, but it was very cathartic.
on April 30, 2008 at 9:16 pm | Reply Teresa

You mean the book “No Talking”? My teacher is reading that book out loud to my class… were on chapter 10 or 11 I forgot anyway my classmates got an idea of a contest exactly the same thing… for 2 days tommorow and Friday so it’s on May 1,2008 and May 2,2008 … I can’t wait until tomorrow!!!^-^
on August 18, 2008 at 6:02 pm | Reply matthew Rischard

where do you find No Talking by andrew Clements of the table of continets
on September 14, 2008 at 2:21 pm | Reply Anonymous

this stinks
on September 14, 2008 at 2:22 pm | Reply ryan

whats the theme to this book
on September 21, 2008 at 3:21 pm | Reply matti

i loved this
on October 13, 2008 at 7:16 pm | Reply Lillie

This is an AWESOME book. I loved it.
on October 21, 2008 at 7:49 am | Reply myah

this is the best book i have ever read
on December 7, 2008 at 7:07 pm | Reply alexa

i am a 7th grade student and i personally did not like this book at all. It didnt really “hook” me. I like others better by Andrew Clements; and what is the theme?
on January 22, 2009 at 6:24 pm | Reply Sumeet

Hi , im a 10 year old . Im on chapter i think 10 or 11 , “Guessing Games” and i just need all the character names .
on September 8, 2009 at 6:37 pm | Reply Haley

hi every one when ever i read no talking it made me want to have the same competition with my friends
on September 8, 2009 at 6:39 pm | Reply Haley

im eleven and i have finished the book twice already i just love reading it over and over
on October 27, 2009 at 5:29 pm | Reply tyler

i loved this book one of my fav. books ever i really like andrew clements and for all you losers who dont like him or his books who is there 2 like.
on December 1, 2009 at 2:58 pm | Reply carli

here is the summary but not giving the end….I get a 100 in it

This book is a about a boy name Dave Packer who studies in The Laketon Elementary School. One day Dave was doing his homework about India’s Independence, he had researched about Gandhi, one of the most interesting people in the story of India’s Independence. He had found that Gandhi believed that not talking brought order to his mind. Dave decided to give it a try and not speak until lunch the next day at school, but he didn’t think about a project he had the next day. The next day when it was his turn of presenting with Lynsey (a girl he didn’t like) he didn’t talk and for an excuse he started coughing. At lunch he started speaking and he heard Lynsey gossiping and Dave was tired of hearing her shrilly voice. So Dave started discussing with her about how much girls talk, but Lynsey didn’t stay quiet and she started insulting boys, so Dave offered to make her a deal of who didn’t talk less, boys or girls for the next two days until lunch. Lynsey was not sure of what she was doing but she accepted. Who is going to stay silent the longest?
on May 12, 2010 at 1:42 pm | Reply Cheyenne

I love the book No talking. It’s like after you read it. you wonder if you and your class could try it! If you haven’t read it, it’s an awesome book. I am 14 and i still like to read it.
on April 26, 2012 at 1:13 pm | Reply Anonymous

i am read
on April 26, 2012 at 1:14 pm | Reply you

i hatee book
on August 3, 2013 at 9:57 am | Reply Anonymous

What is the theme?????
on October 27, 2013 at 9:15 pm | Reply Anonymous

What is the mood

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