The Kneebone Boy by Ellen Potter - Review

The Kneebone Boy
Ellen Potter
Feiwel and Friends
September 2010

Otto, Lucia, and Max Hardscrabble live in a small town with their Dad, Casper.  Mom disappeared years ago.  Lucia thinks she's dead because the alternative, that she left, is just too hard to fathom.  Lucia takes care of Otto "an avid collecter of the strange and unusual" who stopped talking soon after their mom left and has a reputation for being strange and unusual himself.  The youngest, Max, is a genius and he makes sure everyone knows it!  Their Dad is always on the go, painting the portraits of deposed royals.  Each sketch he brings home is an opportunity for the Hardscrabbles to make memories as they gather around to hear the story of the pushed out king or queen.

In the Kneebone Boy, Casper has to go away suddenly and sends the Hardscrabbles to stay with their cousin Angela. When they arrive in London they find that Angela is gone! They use this mix up to embark on an adventure that ends with them running for their lives!  They finally get to Snoring-On-The-Sea and start to search for their great aunt Haddie.  And that's when the real adventure begins!

The Kneebone Boy has this wonderful, dark humor combined with a great mystery.  Or many great mysteries!  The voice is snarky but fun and the Hardscrabble's word choice demonstrate Ellen Potter's belief in the intelligent reader.  "I honestly think kids are getting stupider by the year." This story proves that she really doesn't feel that way.  The chapter subtitles are like little stories themselves "In which" Potter gives a tiny glimpse into the future or at least the chapter.  The characters were just that, characters.  Great Aunt Haddie sounds like the relative we all want to go visit, an adult that doesn't try to be your friend by making jokes and being corny but becomes your friend for that very reason.   And just when you think you can't possibly keep snickering aloud, Potter throws in something that makes you sigh and possibly tear-up.

I must say, If I didn't know Ellen Potter wrote SLOB, I wouldn't believe the books had the same author. The tone and voice were so different....although both stories do have missing moms...  I give this 4 copies.  It's a must read! I really loved it! Give it to the students in 6th who need a challenge and one's who like their mysteries smart.  I'll put it right next to The Death (and Further Adventures) of Silas Winterbottom by Stephen Giles.

Ellen Potter talks about the book jacket
Ellen Potter website
Ellen Potter twitter

Thanks to Feiwel and Friends for this ARC. 

Review - SLOB by Ellen Potter

SLOB
Ellen Potter
Philomel Books (Penguin Young Readers)
May 2009
From: Advance Uncorrected Galley


First, just take a look at that cover. What comes to mind? Looking at the cover, you think you know what this book is about, but you don't.

"A three-story red-brick nightmare of educational progress." (p.2)

That's how Owen Birnbaum introduces us to school, his school at least. At Owen's school students can determine their own "educational progress" by studying whatever floats their boat at the moment.

Being the smartest kid in the school, and now the fattest, brings problems for Owen, even at such a progressive school. Someone has been stealing his Oreos and his PE teacher, Mr. Wooly, is determined to humiliate him. Owen wasn't always fat and he wishes he could go back to the moment that changed everything for him. Owen believes that his latest invention will allow him to do just that, if he can get it to work!

Using the note with the word SLOB written on it as inspiration, Owen works to uncover the cookie thief and find the missing piece to his invention. With the help of his sister, Jeremy, he has almost figured out how to uncover exactly what happened that night almost 2 years ago.

Ellen Potter is genius. I was totally captivated by the language in this book. It was funny without being stupid. "It made me feel squirrelly in my stomach. But maybe I was just hungry." (p. 29) I think this book will appeal to both boys and girls at our school and will use it for book club in the fall. It's a great middle grade read with potential as a good read-aloud. The references to old TV shows will also appeal to teachers/librarians who may have watched those shows growing up. Jeremy's participation in Girls Who Are Boys, GAWB, will resonate with the tomboys. And Mr. Wooly? I had a teacher just like that and, unfortunately, some of them still exist today. Students will see that. They will get it. It will be a great discussion. I can't wait! I give it 5 stars.

In My Mailbox - April 3 - Part 1

Ah. Time for me to tell you what books I received this week. This meme courtesy of The Story Siren. Check out her blog for more books and contests!

Bought:

Yes, I'm not supposed to being more books. I know. But I couldn't help it. Now I have my Powells.com virtual credit though so that will help for a month or two!

If I Stay by Gayle Forman
Willow by Julia Hoban

These two books were the talk of the YA blogosphere and were on my Waiting on Wednesdays posts. I will review them over on Book Blather rather than here though. I already finished If I Stay and will get to Willow soon.




Borrowed:

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles
Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta
Outside Beauty by Cynthia Kadohata

I got these from the library. Perfect Chemistry follows the age-old story of love with one person from the wrong side of the tracks. Let's see if Ms. Elkeles puts a new spin on it. Jellicoe Road won the Printz back in January 2009. I'm slowly working my way down that list. Outside Beauty is a new Cynthia Kadohata. I enjoyed Kira-Kira and Cracker! so hope to enjoy this one too!

Begged:
Queen of Cool by Cecil Castellucci
London Calling by Edward Bloor
SLOB by Ellen Potter
Five Minutes More by Darlene Ryan

The first two books I traded Wicked Lovely and Ink Exchange to a student to read over break and she's letting me read Queen of Cool and London Calling. I've read The Plain Janes and Boy Proof and loved them both. I've read Tangerine and Taken by Edward Bloor. Five Minutes More is courtesy of LibraryThing and I must say - I LOVED IT!

Coolest thing I received this week is the ARC of SLOB by Ellen Potter. I follow her on twitter - @ellenpotter8 - and asked for a copy to review. She SIGNED the ARC and sent a personal note. How cool is that!!! She is nerdtastically awesome and I can't wait to read this!

That's some of what I have! What do you have in your mailbox this week?