Flat Stanley’s Worldwide Adventures:
The African Safari Discovery
Author: Josh Greenhut
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Copyright: 2011
Pages: 91
Reading Level: 4
Genre: Adventure
Rating: *****

Summary:
Stanley is flat. Smooched by his bulletin board he is now only a half inch thick. Hearing about a skull found in Africa that is flat Stanley, his Father, and his younger brother Arthur. On the plane Stanley rode with the baggage because he is so thin, and it was cheaper. Once in Africa they found a young boy and girl whose father was a pilot and flew them to the site. On the way there though, he got a call that there was a brush fire and they had to parachute out. With only two parachutes and three people, Stanley made his way down one his own. Though he tooth picked into the grass, he was fine and no damage was done. His flat factor had saved his life. On their way to the dig site the saw giraffes, zebras, elephants, a lion and more. With their feet getting tired they came upon a canoe. The nice natives they met let them borrow it to finish their journey. The thing was, the boys were fighting over the paddle and it got lost in the river, so they had to row with Stanley the rest of the way. When they made it to the dig site at nightfall they found that the skull wasn’t human like Stanley had hoped, it was a fish! Stanley was disappointed but his family said they loved him just the way he was and wouldn’t change a thing. Then they headed back home, Stanley and Arthur reenacting their safari adventures.

Who would benefit from reading this?
This is a fun book for kids! It is hilarious and a quick and not too difficult read as well. So fun….a great book for boys. As well as those kids who don’t quite fit in.

Potential problems/conflicts:
Kids may worry about becoming flat from something falling on them, and think that people can be mailed places like Stanley has been.

My reaction:
I had never heard of the Flat Stanley books but they are hilarious!! I think all kids should read them. This is a book I can see boys that don’t think reading is fun getting into. There are several very comical parts, and yet a good moral at the end of the story. I would very much recommend the Flat Stanley books!