- I received this title as a pitch from the author and thought it might be one my nephew would enjoy.
I also recommend:
- Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
Summary from GoodReads:
The best way to get even is to get Odd… Thirteen-year-old Ander Cartwright is an expert on two subjects: fortune cookies and payback. Especially payback. When he’s not struggling with algebra, Ander leads an anonymous revenge club that operates within the walls of Marina Middle School. Got a beef with a classmate? Email Ander’s crew and, if your case if legit, they’ll get even on your behalf. It’s not easy to right wrongs and fly under the radar at the same time. That’s why Ander developed three simple rules designed to help him and his friends stay incognito. But when Ander spots the opportunity to settle a score of his own, he ignores the rules, setting off a chain of events that threatens to blow his cover, and it’ll take all the butt-kicking, detention-dodging skill the guys can muster to keep a lid on their secret.
My Review:
Okay, this was a cute book. I was homeschooled, so I don’t have memories of bullying or being picked on (although I was picked on a little bit by other means), but if I had the types of memories most people seem to have – then I would have loved to have an Odd Job Squad firmly on my side.
Karl Fields reaches out through middle-grade humor to teach a subtle lesson. Through the pranks and hijinks of the Odd Job Squad, he highlights the feelings and emotions that are cascading through the bodies of all middle-graders- the need to be accepted, to be who they are and more. And while some of the pranks are absolutely hilarious (fish eyes, I’m looking at you), I was actually more touched by the friendship bonds being displayed.
The Odd Job Squad is a great middle-age book, especially if you are looking for that book to get a boy interested in reading. It’s funny, smart and teaches a good lesson without being preachy.
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