The Jacket

Andrew Clements

May 2002 · Sold by Simon and Schuster

About this ebook

Phil is on a mission. His absentminded little brother forgot his lunch money. All kinds of thoughts are running through Phil's mind as he searches for Jimmy in the throngs of fourth and fifth graders crowding the school hallway:...if I'm late for math today, then I might not be allowed to take the test -- and then I could flunk math! I might even flunk sixth grade and get left back!
Then Phil spots Jimmy's one-of-a-kind jacket and rushes to the corner of the hallway. Except the person wearing it isn't his brother; it's some black kid Phil's never seen before -- wearing Jimmy's jacket! Phil makes an accusation, tempers flare, and both kids wind up in the principal's office.
How will Phil react when he finds out how Daniel came to be the owner of this unique jacket? Will Daniel be able to forgive Phil for an accusation that was based on racial prejudice? What will each boy learn about the other, and most important, about himself?

Ratings and reviews

This is a tale of a boy’s own personal encounters and struggles with racism from the racist/prejudiced perspective. In the end, the boy overcomes and justifies his feeling and questions about his misconceptions about those different than he is as well as confirmation about false societal stereotypes about black people.

This book is an excellent book that portrays "unconscious prejudice" or "unconcious racism." Phil assumes the young boy stole his jacket because the child was African American. When he realizes the young boy did not steal the jacket, he feel guilty and knows he probably wouldn't have assumed the person stole his jacket if they had been white.

When Phil sees a kid wearing his little brother's jacket, he tries to rip it off him thinking he stole it. Then Phil begins to wonder if the only reason he did that was because the boy was African American. He decides he must apologize and ends up making a good friend.

About the author

Andrew Clements (1949–2019) was the author of the enormously popular Frindle. More than 10 million copies of his books have been sold, and he was nominated for a multitude of state awards, including a Christopher Award and an Edgar Award. His popular works include About Average, Troublemaker, Extra Credit, Lost and Found, No Talking, Room One, Lunch Money, and more. He was also the author of the Benjamin Pratt & the Keepers of the School series. Find out more at AndrewClements.com.