Odd, Weird & Little - Hardcover

Jennings, Patrick

3.57

489 ratings by Goodreads

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1606843745 ISBN 13: 9781606843741

Publisher: Carolrhoda Books �, 2014

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Readers will find this charming, funny, easy-to-read middle-grade novel from the beloved Patrick Jennings an absolute hoot!

When the new kid joins his class, Woodrow agrees with his schoolmates―Toulouse is really weird. He's short―kindergarten short―dresses in a suit like a grandpa, has huge eyes, and barely says a word. But Woodrow isn't exactly Mr. Popularity. The frequent target of the class bully himself, he figures that maybe all Toulouse needs is a chance. And when the two are put together in gym to play volleyball, they make quite the team. Toulouse can serve, set, and spike like a pro. He really knows how to fly around the court. But when the attention and teasing switch back to Woodrow, he learns that the new kid is great at something else: being a friend.

Full of heart and laughs, Odd, Weird, and Little is another winner from the author of the Guinea Dog series.

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About the Author:

Patrick Jennings's books for young readers have received honors from Publishers Weekly, The Horn Book, Smithsonian Magazine, the PEN Center USA, the Woman's National Book Association, and the Chicago and New York Public Libraries. The Seattle Public Library awarded his book, Guinea Dog, the Washington State Book Award of 2011. His book, Faith and the Electric Dogs, is currently being adapted for the screen. His newest book, Hissy Fitz, was published in January 2015. He currently writes full time in his home in Port Townsend, Washington.

Review:

"At last: a humorous, useful and pedantry-free book about bullying!
Woodrow and his classmates are surprised at the old-fashioned clothing and the tiny, delicate appearance of Toulouse, a newly arrived student from Canada. Is this Woodrow's opportunity to pass his own victim status to someone else? Woodrow openly admits his acknowledged dorkiness, as in his fondness for 'duck tape,' his hesitant speech patterns and that time he got chopsticks stuck in his throat pretending to be a badger. His first-person account of befriending someone even weirder than himself divulges such truths as school-playground hierarchies, adults' proficiency or lack thereof at handling bullying behaviors, and 'kid rules' that enable bullies. Woodrow risks regaining his place as top victim as he decides to befriend and protect Toulouse, who has drawn unwanted attention to himself with such anomalies as his bowler hats and his furry vomit. While enjoying every minute of Woodrow's slow discovery that Toulouse is actually an owl―and the even more amazing fact that no one else reaches that conclusion―readers also learn about the psychology behind bullying and about self-empowerment. The rhythm of the prose is perfect for independent readers and for reading aloud; clever art, music and literature references add to the fun.
Jennings does not skip a beat as he builds realistic relationships and problem-solving around an outrageously funny premise." ―starred, Kirkus Reviews

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