In one way this is a sad book, as it is the story of a boy from a very dis-functional family. But in many other ways it's funny. Child services send him to relatives on a farm for the summer. He thinks it is the worst thing which could have happened to him. He is very wrong.
You know how when you find something so funny your chest heaves, you have trouble with your breath, your eyes water, but no sounds are coming out of your mouth? Well, that happened to me with this book. There were numerous times I laughed out loud, but toward the end of the book, Paulsen describes an incident so funny, I had trouble reading the book, in fact, I couldn't. For two or three pages my chest heaved, my eyes watered and I had to stop reading. Then I had to put the book down to recover for 30-40 seconds. But when I read the next line, or only got part way through it, my soundless laughter fit started all over again. And I can't even remember the last time that happened to me.
I've really enjoyed many of Paulsen's books, and think it unfair they are identified as being in the Young Adult genre. This prevents many adults from reading them.
We LOVE this book! I and my children have read it several times and each time we laugh and cry. I have gotten copies for friends and family, too.
Great book by Gary Paulsen!
Funniest, most endearing book I have ever read. A must read for ALL ages.
As a mom of 2 boys, I enjoyed this book very much. It has many Laugh-out-Loud moments as these boys get into some pretty hairy trouble on a rural farm and how life is not always what we want it to be.
