Substitute Creacher

hris Gall

Substitute Creacher by Chris Gall

2011

     It's Halloween, Ms. Jenkins is not at school and they have sent in a substitute teacher.  When the substitute walked in he was green, with one eye on his front and three on his back, tentacles for legs and two long arms.  He spoke in rhyme and warned the kids that he was there to teach them a lesson about what happens to misbehaved children.  He tells the story of how he has being doing this for forty-nine years:

I've visited schools

I've collected some tales

whose lessons are grave

about boys and girls

who didn't behave.

They'll give you the goose bumps.

They'll shiver your skin.

Now pay strict attention:

It's time we begin!

     The creature tells them stories about kids like Keith who ate so much glue, things started to stick to him; Kylie, who drew during a test until a dragon she drew came out the page; Hank, who dumped a shark inside the classroom's fishbowl that destroyed the whole room.  And then there was Chris who "liked to trick for his treats: Dressed like a monster, he scared kids for sweets." He stole candy from a magical gnome who cursed Chris, never allowing him to go home again...becoming the substitute creacher.  There is a happy ending: the substitute creacher shares all the candy in his bag with the students and gives the last piece to the groundskeeper who resembles the magical gnome. As he walks away, he turns back into a kid and finds his way home.

     Substitute Creacher is an intelligent and entertaining read aloud.  The illustrations are filled with details to enjoy in multiple readings (try finding the gnome along in different pages).  Great read to share in the classroom during Halloween.