Getting' Through Thursday, was a very enjoyable book to read because of the dialect and conflict in the story. The author, Melrose Cooper, chose to write the book in less formal language. This made the story seem more realistic and more relatable. The author used improper grammar at times when the characters were speaking. This allowed the reader to feel like they were really listening to a family who lived in the city. The story also had conflicts that arose. The boy, Andre, had a conflict with his mother because she did not keep her promise. Andre received all A’s on his report card, and his mother had promised that she would throw party for anyone who came home with those grades. The boy was so excited, but mama told him that she could not afford a celebration because it was Thursday. The boy was furious and disappointed. He knew it was not mama’s fault that she could not afford to throw him a celebration, but he was still hurt. The little boy's frustration was relatable for a lot of readers. Many children go through similar situations. However, mama found a resolution by having a celebration with imaginary gifts and cakes until she could afford it. The big picture of the story is to make the best of what you have. A lot of times you must be flexible in life. This story shows that you can still be happy and grateful even if you do not have the materialistic things.

I liked this book because it is a story that could be very relatable to students. It touches on the subject of certain people's home lives. In the story, it is clear that the parents are stressed out about providing for their family. This is important because so many students come from a life of poverty. The book takes a sad turn, which offers some truth about real life. However, the book eventually ends happily which I think offers hope to students who relate to the story. It is also a good multicultural book for the class room, as it is written in African American English. The message of the story is hard work pays off, since the main character was promised a celebration if he got honor roll, and he did. ( )

Not only did I enjoy this book, but I thought it could be a very important book for many people to read. I liked this book because it was a story that shined light on a type of family that may often get overlooked in children's literature. The family of main character Andre consists of his older siblings and his mother who works hard but does not get paid much as a lunch lady. They struggle to get through each week and consistently go without one thing or another until they can get to payday Friday. Unless a person has lived or lives this type of life, it could be eye-opening to read a story centered around Andre and his low-income family. I really appreciate how the pictures in the book reflect the emotions that the characters go through, especially when Andre realizes that his honor roll report card day falls on the limited-funds Thursday. It was heart-warming to see how the family came together to throw a celebration of their best efforts despite the family's financial troubles. The big idea of this story is that hardships can be overcome with the help and love of family. ( )

Another story about children dealing with impoverished conditions and the side effects of poverty, but very well told. I really liked this book. It was well written, and I loved the illustrations. The watercolors are dark and deep and sharply contrasted with splashes of light. The book was just really pretty. ( )

This is a story about a single-parent African-American family that's dependent upon Mama's Friday paycheck, the children have been promised a royal celebration if any one of the three makes the honor roll. Consequently, third-grader Andre is thrilled when his teacher tells him he is one of two children in his class to receive that honor. But sadly, report-card day is Thursday, when money is very low, and the child is bitterly disappointed that he can't have his party on the day of his triumph. How his mother and siblings surmount this problem makes a satisfying resolution to the plot. Family love and respect for education are stressed in this believable story. The children complain about the things they can't have right away, but Mama always has a practical suggestion to tide them over. The narrative is conversational and colloquial, written in Andre's words. Strong, tender watercolor-and-colored pencil illustrations spread across facing pages and show the boy at school and the family in their modest but comfortable home.