Me and the Weirdos Appeals to All!
Written: Jan 20 '00 (Updated Mar 16 '06)
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Pros: clever, funny, good message, enjoyable for the whole family
Cons: out of print
The Bottom Line: An entertaining book for kids of all ages. Check out this book from your local library.
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| beckytcy's Full Review: Me & the Weirdos |
Growing up, everyone thinks their parents are weird, right? Well, ten-year-old Cindy's parents really are! The Krinkle family doesn't own a TV or furniture. They sit around the living room on old mattresses-- not because they are poor; they are just eccentric. The Krinkles also eat dessert before dinner. The protagonist's sister reads the dictionary for fun on the beach. Smith Krinkle, the patriarch of the family, has long, gray hair, but is entirely bald on top.
This hilarious, clever children's book published in 1981 is great for family read-aloud since it features more sophisticated humor than most books aimed at kids. And everyone can relate to Cindy's embarrassment at her parents' antics. One particularly funny scenario in this book is when the Krinkle family takes on a French exchange student and they decide to paint their walls with an elaborate mural. They also all eat out of the same bowl with giant spoons, and the exchange student thinks that they are typical Americans. Another funny scene is when Cindy's father dresses as a gorilla on a school field trip.
In 1986, Me and the Weirdos won an award for best children's book from the Children's Literature Association of Utah. It has been translated into French. The French title is Connaissez-vous ma famille? which means "Do you know my family?"
Me and the Weirdos is 117 pages long and is best suited for elementary and middle school students, but older readers will enjoy it, as well. It features cute black-and-white illustrations by Sandy Kossin.
Check out these other books by Jane Sutton:
Not Even Mrs. Mazursky (same age group as "Weirdos")
Confessions of and Orange Octopus (same age group)
What Should a Hippo Wear? (an adorable picture book about learning to accept yourself)
Definitely Not Sexy (for young adults)
Unfortunately, all of these books are out of print, so you can't buy them at the book store. But check them out from your local library!! Several people have approached the author in attempts to make this book into a film, but it hasn't happened yet. Reportedly, she has begun working on a sequel to the Weirdos, as well.
Update (March 16, 2006):Jane Sutton has a new picture book available now called The Trouble With Cauliflower. It is published by Dial. See www.jane-sutton.com for ordering information.
OK, I'll admit it...
I am a bit biased because the author of Me and the Weirdos is my mother! So, I have a personal connection to both the story and the author. My mom is a bit eccentric (she is an author, after all!), and when I was younger, I was constantly embarrassed by her. She would speak in accents too loudly in public and wear temporary tattoos when volunteering in my school library. When I was a freshman in high school, my mom went to a fund-raising dance at the town hall. When she got home, she woke me up to tell me that she had gotten on stage with the band and performed a Rolling Stones song. I was mortified at the time, but six years later, when she performed "Satisfaction" at my cousin's wedding, I was the loudest one cheering her on. It was one of the proudest moments of my life!
"Weird" is just another word for "cool," as Me and the Weirdos emphasizes.
Check out Jane Sutton's web site at www.jane-sutton.com.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
beckytcy
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 - Top 500 |
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Member: Becky
Location: Boston
Reviews written: 277
Trusted by: 235 members
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