Jon Scieszka (pronounced
shess-kuh) lets readers get several glimpses into his childhood in Flint, MI, growing up as the second oldest of 6 brothers in the 1960's through this autobiography. As one would imagine the background of the man who penned
The True Story of the Three Little Pigs and the Caldecott honored
The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales, Scieszka's formative years were full of mishaps, disgusting feats, pranks and broken collarbones. Standout chapters include "Mom & Dad" in which the author describes how his prenatal nurse mother once took his Cub Scout Troop on a field trip to the hospital, and "Halloween" in which the author describes how due to their large family size, homemade costumes were out of the question, so each year they got by with a rotation of four basic costumes for 6 kids. With its short chapter length, hilarious subject matter and snapshots of the author's childhood, this book is perfect for reluctant readers.
