Review by New York Times Review
In books about boy troublemakers, two bullies are redeemed through art and one remains defiantly unrepentant. TROUBLEMAKER By Andrew Clements. Illustrated by Mark Elliott. 160 pp. Atheneum. $16.99. (Middle grade; ages 8 to 12) MIDDLE SCHOOL The Worst Years of My Life. By James Patterson and Chris Tebbetts. Illustrated by Laura Park. 281 pp. Little, Brown & Company. $15.99. (Middle grade; ages 8 to 12) JOURNAL OF A SCHOOLYARD BULLY Notes on Noogies, Wet Willies, and Wedgies. Written and illustrated by Farley Katz. 208 pp. St. Martin's Griffin. $12.99. (Young adult; ages 9 and up) WOULDN'T it be nice if "Diary of a Sweet-Natured Kid" were the best-selling young adult book of the last couple of years? Instead, we've got this horrible little human being, Greg Heffley, protagonist of "Diary of a Wimpy Kid." Not really wimpy, he's better described as a deceitful, self-absorbed, scheming, arrogant, callous kid. He's also, alas, vastly entertaining. Truth is, literary bad boys are far from new. Tom Sawyer was a cheater and a thief (and a smoker to boot). Goody-goodies just don't make as compelling characters as the morally handicapped. We'd rather watch Bart Simpson than Ned Flanders's robotic, rule-abiding kids. As a parent, all you can do is pray your children understand irony. And that they don't view the Greg Heffleys as role models. And that they read long enough to see that bad behavior does have consequences. All iffy propositions, if you ask me. Now parents will have plenty more chances to wrestle with this notion, with three new antiheroes on the shelves. "Middle School" is by the alarmingly prolific writer James Patterson and the young adult author Chris Tebbetts. Told in diary form, the book follows an unpopular sixth grader, Rafe, who comes up with what he calls a "stupendous, really, really Big Idea." As a way to distinguish himself and make friends, he embarks on a quest to break every rule in his middle school's 26-page code of conduct. He sets off the fire alarm, runs in the hall and uses inappropriate language in class. It's a chatty, funny, engaging book, one that often addresses the reader directly. It's filled with energetic cartoons - ostensibly by Rafe - that will appeal to your little rebel, depicting teachers as dungeonkeepers, matadors and flying dragons. Patterson, as might be expected, knows how to structure a plot and builds in some surprising - even touching - twists involving Rafe's dead brother and his mom's no-goodnik boyfriend. Rafe is the bad boy with a heart of gold. He's a victim of bullying, and he chivalrously tries to get a girl out of detention. Plus, he has a rule that no one gets hurt by his mischief. To which I say, Really? As a father, I want to give him a stern talking-to. Cutting in line is not a victimless crime. In the end, Rafe does get punished, but is also redeemed by his artistic skill. He's not bad, you see; just different and creative. We quixotic parents can hope our children will pick up paintbrushes instead of stink bombs. In "Troublemaker," Andrew Clements has written a more earnest take on a similar topic. Clements is a genius of gentle, high-concept tales set in suburban middle schools. His best-selling "Frindle" featured a boy who invents a new word for "pen." "No Talking" was about a contest among middle schoolers to stay silent. Here, we meet a troublemaking sixth grader named Clay. Clay hides beeping digital watches in the classroom. He slips Jell-O into backpacks. And in art class, he draws a cartoon of the principal as a donkey. Like Rafe or Ferris Bueller, he's meant to be a likable rascal, described as "charming" and "inspiring." But his troublemaking career is in its twilight. His older brother and idol has just gotten out of jail (nothing serious - speeding ticket and contempt of court), and decides to scare Clay straight. He forces Clay to embark on the opposite quest from that of Patterson's character: Clay must follow every rule. He trades in jeans and a hoodie for khakis and a flannel shirt. He does all his homework. The book follows Clay's struggles as he backslides, gets tempted by friends, and is falsely accused of spray-painting the principal's door on Halloween. In the end, Clay, like the protagonist of Patterson's book, finds redemption through art. Clements once again proves he can pull off writing about middle schoolers' emotions without being cartoonish or cloying. "Frindle" is still my favorite, but this is a worthy addition to the Clements canon. The final book in this vein is "Journal of a Schoolyard Bully" by Farley Katz, a cartoonist at The New Yorker. The closest to "Wimpy Kid" in format and style, the book centers on Niko, a middle schooler who, as his business card reads, specializes in "beat-ups, hit-downs, insults, general punches and nerd-crushing." Niko ties a nerd to a ceiling fan. He shuts the debate team in lockers and makes them debate the merits of being let out. In his off hours, he gaslights his psychologist or enjoys his favorite video game "Dr. MurderGun - Revenge of the Violence." THE book has many funny moments, and it's clear Katz has an inventive mind along the lines of Roz Chast's. There's a series of maps illustrating a cooties pandemic. Several pages are devoted to a Bullies Hall of Fame featuring Genghis Khan and Garfield the Cat. But the book also had moments that made me - an admittedly overprotective father - wince. Niko remains unrepentant to the last, never showing a glimmer of empathy. At one point, he thinks: "If only Toys 'R' Us sold flamethrowers. A boy can dream." Honestly, he kind of scares me. Katz knows he's treading on controversial ground. In a note to reviewers, he writes: "In the wake of all the terrible bullying in our country's schools this past year, a glance at the title or cover of this book may mislead some to believe it a celebration of bullies. A brief read inside, however, will make the intentions and tone of this book crystal clear: to have a laugh at the expense of the bully and chuckle along at antics and pranks that never go beyond playful and absurd." I admire the sentiment. But I'm not sure kids will find the tone so crystal clear. How playful are beatdowns? Or sticking a kid's head in the toilet? If you're the one with the head underwater, not so playful. Maybe Katz's next book could be the "Journal of a Bull-ee." A. J. Jacobs's next book, "Drop Dead Healthy: One Man's Humble Quest for Bodily Perfection," will be published in 2012.
Copyright (c) The New York Times Company [August 21, 2011]
Review by Booklist Review
Sixth-grader Rafe's first day of school is horrendous. Friendless except for his imaginary pal, Leo, he zones out during the recitation of the school's code of conduct, setting himself the goal of breaking every rule before the end of the year. The mostly unrepentant recounting that follows reads like a middle-school manifesto for bad behavior; Rafe describes pulling fire alarms, streaking, painting graffiti, and fighting, as well as thwarting bullies bent on extortion and failing most of his classes. Eventually he is expelled, leading everyone to realize that Rafe might be more successful in an alternative arts school. The author of the Maximum Ride series channels here the graphic style of Jeff Kinney's Diary of a Wimpy Kid (2007). Subplots involving Mom's deadbeat (and abusive) boyfriend, Rafe's crush on a popular girl, and Leo's true identity lend gravitas to this otherwise anarchist story. Short chapters and numerous cartoon illustrations make this quick read suitable, as Patterson says, for all of you in need of AR points. --Weisman, Kay Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Patterson turns from the governmental oppression of his Witch & Wizard series to a more everyday form: the social and academic confines of middle school. Emboldened by his friend Leo, newly minted sixth-grader Rafe Khatchadorian embarks on a plan to break every one of his school's rules, frustrating his teachers, causing his grades to suffer, and landing him in detention. Things aren't any better at home, due to the constant, unpleasant presence of "Bear," who Rafe's mother is dating. Park's cartoons are pitch-perfect and do their share of storytelling, sometimes betraying the gap between Rafe's version of events and reality (in one scene, a teacher, portrayed as a dragon, screams, "I don't want to eat you. Just talk to me"). The subject matter gets surprisingly dark, particularly regarding Bear's emotional abusiveness and two twists involving Rafe's relationship with Leo, though the latter arrives so late its impact is weakened. But the book's ultrashort chapters, dynamic artwork, and message that "normal is boring" should go a long way toward assuring kids who don't fit the mold that there's a place for them, too. Ages 8-12. (June) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 5-8-The first 20 pages of this novel seem to be a blueprint for classic middle-school rebellion. As the story continues, Patterson's ability to hog-tie his target audience into a sympathetic relationship with Rafe, the sixth-grade protagonist, becomes clear. Along with his friend Leo the Silent, Rafe concocts a plan to break every rule in the Hills Village Middle School Code of Conduct by the end of the year, creating palpable tension between him and every adult character in the book. As Patterson artfully weaves a deeper and more thought-provoking tale of childhood coping mechanisms and everyday school and family realities, readers are drawn into a deeper understanding of and compassion for the main characters. Taking the best of the "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" (Abrams) formula, he successfully melds it with an emotional and, at times, unexpected journey. Hand this book to misbehaving, socially awkward, or disengaged boys and girls who are willing to take it. It might help them believe that there is a place for them in the world, no matter how dire times may seem in the present.-Colleen S. Banick, Tomlinson Middle School, Fairfield, CT (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
This story of outcast Rafe Khatchadorian's sixth-grade year is recounted by him and illustrated by Leo, his imaginary friend. The protagonist comes up with Operation R.A.F.E. (Rules Aren't For Everyone) in which he breaks every rule in his school's handbook. It's hard to feel much sympathy for Rafe--until his emotional scars are revealed. Entertaining black-and-white cartoons keep things light. (c) Copyright 2011. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
In order to cope with the terrors of middle school, Rafe Khatchadorian teams up with his imaginary friend, Leo, to become a troublemaking legend.Theres a fine line between a class clown and a smart aleck. Class clowns make big dopey gestures to make up for superficial insecurities, leading to inevitably poor life decisions. As Conan OBrien once said: The class clown is killed in a motel shoot-out. Smart alecks are different. Theres a lot of potential in every one of them. And theres a lot of potential in Rafe. As his efforts to break every rule in his new schools handbook progress, Patterson and Tebbetts illuminate the psyche of a scared, angry kid who is smart, creative, bored and ever so over the teach em whats on the test mentality the U.S. education system has so ruthlessly perfected. Rafe lashes out against an establishment that is designed against him and a shattered family unit, and its hard to push past his defense systems. But once through, readers will discover the best kind of child: one that is intelligent, artistic and brave. The authors weave these ideas through a world perfectly described through a 12-year-olds point of view, complete with humor and jokes to be expected from that bracket. Witty illustrations and wacky scenarios will rope young readers in, but the emotional undercurrents will keep them hooked.A satisfying and progressive tale with real sweetness at its center. (Fiction. 8-12) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
