Book Title: Lawn Boy
Author Name: Gary Paulsen
Reviewed by TFK Kid Reporter: Max Van Zile
Genre: Fiction
Number of pages: 96
What's the basic storyline?
Gary Paulsen's new book, Lawn Boy, is a short, funny read. Here's the premise: a boy without much money is given an old-fashioned riding lawnmower for his birthday. He uses it to mow neighbors' lawns for money, and makes a fair bit of cash. Then he meets Arnold, a funny hippie/stockbroker who teaches him about the wonders of capitalism. The boy starts to invest cash in the stock market, and he eventually ends up making a mountain of money.
Were the characters believable? What made them believable or unbelievable?
The book's strength is in its characters. Lawn Boy is populated with funny, odd, interesting characters that will each grab your attention, such as Arnold the hippie, Joey Pow the mega-muscled boxer, Pasqual the worker and his many "cousins," the crazy grandma and so many more. Some of the characters are believable; some aren't. But even when they aren't, it really doesn't matter because the story is still entertaining. The author, after all, does not intend to tell a realistic story.
Would you recommend this book to kids? Why or why not?
I would recommend this book to kids because Paulsen is witty and funny and the characters are interesting and they hold your attention. Best of all, the book is fast paced.
What's not-so-great about the book?
The only problem is that the book won’t keep readers engrossed for any significant amount of time. This book is 96 pages long. I read it on the bus in one day. The story is also preposterous at times. Most of the boy's ascension to wealth is through dumb luck, and it feels forced at times. You might come away thinking, "How did that happen?" And Lawn Boy doesn't compare to other Gary Paulsen books, notably Dogsong and Hatchet, which I think are both better buys.
On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being best), how would you rate this book? Explain.
On a scale of 1 to 10, I'd give this book a 7. It's a good, funny book, but its length and unrealistic plot make reading it sort of like biting into whipped cream: it's not substantial enough, even though it looks pretty. Lawn Boy is still an okay read, though, and it's worth a buy if you need something to do on a short car trip or bus ride.
