Emily's Musings

YA17: The Misfits

I was supposed to be working at The Tech tonight, but so many of us showed up that they really didn't need me and one of the other volunteers convinced me that I had enough on my plate and should go home. So I took advantage of a surprise free evening and polished off another book for class (and had a very nice conversation with Carrie about her recent adventures.)

The Misfits
James Howe (author of the Bunnicula books)
New York : Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2001.
274 p.

A very nice, seventh grade friendship book -- four best friends: Bobby Goodspeed (who tells the story), Joe Bunch, Addie Carle, and Skeezie Tookis, who are seventh graders at Paintbrush Falls Middle School in upstate New York decide to start a third party and run for student government on a platform to eliminate name calling (the No-Name Party). Each of them has been called their share of names in their life (the lists they make are amazing examples of middle school cruelty). Their campaign slogan: "Sticks and stones may break our bones, but names will break our spirit."

Ages 11 to 13

"Kids who get called the worst names oftentimes find each other. That's how it was with us. Skeezie Tookis and Addie Carle and Joe Bunch and me. We call ourselves the Gang of Five, but there are only four of us. We do it to keep people on their tows. Make 'em wonder. Or maybe we do it because we figure that there's one more kid out there who's going to need a gang to be a part of. A misfit, like us." (p. 13)

I loved that the group met weekly at the ice cream parlor to discuss important issues (and kept minutes), I loved that Bobby says things like he doesn't give a fig newton about something or swears on a stack of pancakes.