Odd, Weird & Little

by Patrick Jennings

Overview

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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781606843758
Publisher:	Lerner Publishing Group
Publication date:	01/01/2014
Series:	Fiction - Middle Grade
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	160
Lexile:	580L (what's this?)
File size:	2 MB
Age Range:	8 - 9 Years

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.

Editorial Reviews

01/01/2014
Gr 3–6—Toulouse Hulot, a new kid in school from Quebec, wears dapper outfits, carries a briefcase, and even uses a quill pen to write his lessons. He is a talented painter and musician, an accomplished fly fisherman, and the victim of the class bully and his henchman. His only friend is Woodrow, who shares his love of fishing and finally becomes the one to stand up to the mean kids and ultimately see Toulouse for who he really is. Woodrow is a most unlikely narrator, one who embraces his own nerdiness and stammers through most of his conversations. Fans of Jennings's Guinea Dog (Egmont USA, 2010) will find this a delightful book, one that stands with classics such as Avi's Poppy (Orchard, 1995). A remarkable story and a great read-aloud.—Wayne R. Cherry, Jr., First Baptist Academy Library, Houston, TX

School Library Journal

10/21/2013
Ten-year-old Woodrow Schwette is the weirdest kid in his class until quiet, tiny, suit-wearing Toulouse Gulot shows up by way of Quebec. Jennings (My Homework Ate My Homework) creates a sympathetic underdog in Woodrow, a boy all too used to being relentlessly teased by class bullies Garrett and Hubcap, whose casual cruelty will likely make some readers shudder with recognition. Woodrow must decide if he will stand aside while Toulouse—with his “old-man hat,” “wide, round eyes,” and vocabulary that’s initially limited to the word “Who”—becomes the bullies’ new punching bag, or if he will stand up for his new friend. Jennings gives Woodrow a relatable voice and laces the story with clues that hint at the twist that is confirmed in the book’s final chapters. The author does such a nice job of building to the big revelation that it’s unfortunate that the book’s cover treatment basically spoils the surprise. Nevertheless, it’s a warm and funny story about being true to oneself and standing up for what’s right. Ages 8–12. Agent: Rosemary Stimola, Stimola Literary Studio. (Jan.)

Publishers Weekly

"Jennings does not skip a beat as he builds realistic relationships and problem-solving around an outrageously funny premise." —starred, Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

★ 2013-10-02
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. (Fiction. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews