Scieszka, Jon. Knucklehead: Tall Tales & Mostly True Stories about Growing up Scieszka. New York, NY: Viking, 2008. Print.
Summary
Jon Scieszka, the author of favorites such as The Stinky Cheese Man and The True Story of the Three Little Pigs tells of his childhood growing up in Flint, Michigan. In brief chapters and photographs, Scieszka recounts various adventures in Catholic school, Cub Scouts, and growing up with his five brothers.
My Impressions
Both sweet and irreverent in equal measure, this book will definitely appeal to young readers, especially those with a high tolerance for toilet humor. I wish the book had gone beyond Sciezka's childhood into his early writing days, instead of summarizing it in an epilogue, though.
What Other Reviewers Said
In this arch, glib, unapologetically shamefree outing, Scieszka, who grew up as the second of six sons, has written an autobiography about boys, for boys and anyone else interested in baseball, fire, and peeing on stuff. The format of the book is perfectly suited to both casual and reluctant readers. The text is divided into two- to three-page nonsequential chapters and peppered with scrapbook snapshots and comic-book-ad reproductions. The accessibly irreverent language pushes the boundaries of moderation even as it reflects a sort of skewed wholesomeness. But the real testosterone payoff here is in the stories, which range from losing battles with fractious parochial-school nuns to taking turns “watching” little brothers (wherein the author watched brother number six eat a cigarette butt and charged neighborhood kids to watch him do it again). By themselves, the chapters entertain with abrupt, vulgar fun. Taken together, they offer a look at the makings of one very funny author—and a happy answer to the dreaded autobiography book report. - Thom Barthelmess (1)
Starred Review. Grade 3–6—Just try to keep kids away from this collection. Inspired book design makes the volume look like an old-school comic. The front cover features an elementary-aged Scieszka popping up out of a military tank, surrounded by explosions and bombers, while the back advertises a "Treasure Chest of Fun" and displays chapter titles and excerpts along with nostalgic graphics. Scieszka answers the oft-asked question, "Where do you get your ideas?" with a slew of childhood anecdotes and his family's escapades that have given him plenty of material from which to draw. Born in 1954, the second of six brothers, he writes about Catholic and military schools, buying gifts, chores, and hand-me-downs—all familiar experiences related with a specific Scieszka twist. His mother, a nurse, insisted that her sons use proper terms for anatomy ("rectum" rather than "butt") and bodily functions ("urinate" rather than "pee"), making way for several laugh-out-loud moments. Some stories are just amiably funny, such as wearing recycled Halloween costumes, while others help readers understand more about how the author developed his unique sense of humor. Although it includes the car trip story from Guys Write for Guys Read (Viking, 2005), Knucklehead is aimed at a younger audience. Family photographs and other period illustrations appear throughout. Entertaining and fast-moving, silly and sweet, this homage to family life is not to be missed.—Lucinda Snyder Whitehurst, St. Christopher's School, Richmond, VA (2)
Suggested Activities
Have kids make a personal scrapbook using photographs and other memorabilia to tell their own funny or serious personal stories.
Other Citations
(1) Barthelmess, Thom. "Knucklehead: Tall Tales and Mostly True Stories of Growing Up Scieszka." Booklist 105.1 (2008): 92. MasterFILE Premier. EBSCO. Web. 13 Nov. 2010.
(2) Whitehurst, Lucinda S. Rev. of Knucklehead: Tall Tales and Almost True Stories of Growing up Scieszka. School Library Journal. Amazon.com. Web. 13 Nov. 2010. <http://tinyurl.com/38eqsux>.
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