The Boy Who Owned The School
by Gary Paulsen
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Book Summary Information
Author: Gary PaulsenEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 1991-10-01
ISBN: 0440405246
Number of pages: 96
Publisher: Yearling
Product features:
- ISBN13: 9780440405245
- Condition: New
- Notes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Tracking provided on most orders. Buy with Confidence! Millions of books sold!
Book Reviews of The Boy Who Owned The School
Book Review: Hatchet was miles better
Summary: 2 Stars
Jacob is the high school student that we all remember, and sympathize with to some extent: the social misfit who is beneath the quirky geek clique; a kid who is so socially inept that he never speaks to anyone, and indeed spends most of his time and energy figuring out how to avoid conversation altogether.
The book follows Jacob as he maneuvers his way through a distant home life and a harrowing school life. One of the most beautiful girls in school takes note of him when he is assigned to operate the fog machine in the school play, but he is so smitten with her that his usual social awkwardness devolves into a tongue-tied panic.
The Good and the Bad:
I liked the character of Jacob, and I certainly remember a student or two in school who he reminds me of. The book does a good job of fleshing out that anonymous character, and giving us reasons that contribute to that type of personality. The writing is also engaging and fun, with funny descriptive metaphors that are sure to capture the imagination of many children. But I rate the book fairly low because it is presented as a realistic story, but many of the scenes are so unrealistic as to seem surreal, or at least borrowed from a low-budget made-for-tv comedy about the horrors of high school (thought the characters seemed more junior-highish to me). For example, when Jacob accidentally stumbles into a school bully, the bully promptly stuffs him into a locker without so much as a word. There are no pop culture references, no shades of nuance in most of the characters, and a series of stereotypes about the jocks who seem to make up the majority of Jacob's classmates. Also straining belief was Jacob's over-the-top clumsiness, which often left him sprawling around like a clown in front of a crowd of peers. Nevertheless, the book is a quick and enjoyable read, and may give students a moment of reflection about their near-invisible classmates. The socially awkward student himself, however, is not likely to gain much in the way of constructive advice, as the solution to Jacob's problems lie in the persistence of a beautiful girl who is willing to put aside all of the social hierarchy because she wants to date Jacob.
Summary of The Boy Who Owned The School
Jacob Freisten's goal in life is to go about unnoticed. He's perfect at gliding past the jocks' lockers and sneaking into his English class. That was, until now. If Jacob wants to pass English, he must work for extra credit on the stage crew of the school production of The Wizard of Oz.Jacob, who is usually in a fog anyway, has the the job of running the fog machine. The problem is that Maria Tresser, the girl of his dreams, is cast as the Wicked Witch. Jacob's already made a fool of himself in front of Maria. How can he face her again?
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