Knucklehead by Jon Scieszka

Scieszka, J. (2008). Knucklehead: Tall Tales and Almost True Stories of Growing up Scieszka (p. 106). Viking Juvenile.

ISBN:067001138X

$12.99 paperback

Reader's Annotation: Author Jon Sciezka describes growing up one of six brothers, and answers the question "Where do the ideas for your books come from?"

Summary: Jon Scieszka has written many outstanding children's books, including The Stinky Cheese Man and Guys Write for Guys Read (well, he was the editor and contributed to this one.) In Knucklehead, he tells the story of growing up as the second oldest of six boys, in Flint, Michigan. Each chapter is its own story, and they are all between one and three pages long. One story describes the time his older brother tried to sell him his own shirt. Another is about what happens when you pee on an electric heater. They are all hysterical, and full of boyish adventures.

Genre:book, adventure, coming of age, family, nonfiction, siblings

Series : This book is not part of a series.

Evaluation: This book made me laugh out loud, even though I was trying to read it on the sly while I was at my desk working. A great, great, great nonfiction choice for reluctant readers.

Why it belongs in a Tween Collection: Tweens will likely know Jon Scieszka from his pictures books or Guys Write webpage. The idea of growing up with five brothers will be appealing. Most of all, the humor and short, easy chapters will make this a great book to recommend for reluctant readers, and for "biography" or "nonfiction" assignments.

Readalikes :

• Science Fair by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson
  
• Guys Write for Guys Read by Jon Scieszka
  

Other Useful Info:

• Jon Scieszka's Website
• Guys Read Website
  

Reviews:
From School Library Journal ages 9-12
To adults that don’t normally wander through the shelves of children’s literature the notion of the autobiography for kids is a pretty odd beast. You write a book about yourself, sure. But why would you make the primary audience for that book people who think that boogers and farts are the height of wit and sophistication? Fact of the matter is an autobiography written with a child audience in mind needs a hook. Your life, particularly your life as a kid, has to have had something interesting about it. Many of us probably look back on those years only to sigh and determine that absolutely nuthin’ interesting went on back then that would sufficiently engage a ten-year-old. Not Jon Scieszka. You want a hook? Try five brothers. Five brothers and Catholic school. Five brothers and Catholic school and a mess of stories involving bodily functions and super cool (and not so cool) toys. Mr. Scieszka proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that when it comes to recounting your youth, there’s nothing like a plethora of XX chromosomes to keep the readers reading. (read the rest here)