Alex and the Wednesday Chess Club

I was curious what a book like this was like. It was a fun read. It seems like a good book to have in a house where eveyrone reads and the parents want their children to play chess.

As a parent, I totally agree with the review "Full of Bad Examples for Children". I feel uncomfortable when I read this book to my kindergartner who loves chess.But my kid loves this book so much so that I have to buy it after reading it at the library. I have to, then, since I want to foster my kid's interest in reading (he doesn't like it so far), and his hobby(chess is the first thing he says I love it!).I hope there are more picture books about chess available. It is the only book I can find for a 5-year-old, so I have to buy it... Even though I don't like it AT ALL!I hate the part that Alex quit football because he got hurt then he switch to the chess club.I hate the part that most kids in the chess club are Asian - including Alex and little Hooya.

While it is great to see chess showcased in a children's book, there are enough bad examples that we are returning this book:1. Alex gets knocked around at football so he "decided to join chess club." This continues the stereotype that kids that can't handle physical activity play chess.2. "Uncle Hooya knocks Little Hooya on the head. 'This time, no excuses! This time, win!" In the author's head, this may have come across as Uncle Hooya joking around, but Little Hooya isn't laughing in the picture. An adult knocking a kid in the head and pressuring them to win isn't the best example for children.3. Add in junk food and using chess to get out of chores and you have a book of bad examples for children.

My 3rd grade chess club loves the book as it is a very easy read and entertaining for the entire group

My grandson, named Alex, is learning to play chess - this is a wonderful book for him.

The core of this story is formulaic (kid suffers setback, kid gives up, kid bounces back, kid finds success). But it was written by someone who obviously understands the world of scholastic chess, and chess is therefore more than a parable for the lessons of life: it is the central feature of the story. The humor and moral are subtle and understated; while they clearly went over the "kid reviewer's" head, it's easy to see why from the sense of humor he displayed in his review. Other readers should not be thrown off the scent by someone who didn't get it. Kids should be attracted by Alex, who finds something he likes to do, decides to stick with it, and perseveres to succeed even though he fails several times beforehand. But this is as much a book for adults as kids: a sly tribute to a mother who understands both the benefits and the attractive power of chess and who was wise enough to "put up with" junk food, missing chores, and an ego funk in order to get Alex hooked on the game. Smart woman!

I was looking for a great childrens' book to give to a 5 year old that LOVES playing chess. What I got was a poorly written book that focused more on being better at chess than everyone else, only playing chess because of the snacks and soda, and that tournaments are the only reason to play chess. The message that comes across is "Chess is only fun if you win".There were times I was reading and was thinking "okay, maybe this book isn't SO bad" only to turn the page and see something like this: "The best part about tournament chess is winning, of course" or "sometimes your mind feels mushy- you know?....you do silly things you never thought of before. You clean your closet for no good reason, you skate backward - down the stairs...you join the chess club".I am returning this book tomorrow (I received it today). It could have been an excellent story about a boy who loved chess and got creative with how he played, tried other activities at school AND played chess...maybe he competes, maybe he doesn't, but he plays because he likes the challenge, not the pizza, cheese puffs, soda, and winning.

This book is about a boy who loved to play chess. My favorite part was when the knights acted like real horses, galloping across the board and jumping over other pieces.Helen Iorga, 2nd grader

Great book. The kids all loved it.