The Boy Who Owned the School

by Gary Paulsen

Overview

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?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780545748049
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	06/24/2014
Sold by:	Scholastic, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Pages:	96
Sales rank:	632,349
Lexile:	980L (what's this?)
File size:	8 MB
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Gary Paulsen has written more than 175 books and some 200 articles and short stories for children and adults. He is considered one of the most important writers for young adults today. Three of his novels--Hatchet,Dogsong, and The Winter Room--were Newbery Honor books, and his works frequently appear on the best books lists of the American Library Association.

Mr. Paulsen and his wife, Ruth Wright Paulsen, an artist who has illustrated several of his books, divide their time between their home in New Mexico, a boat in the Pacific, and adventures in the wilderness.

Editorial Reviews

Most of the action of this farcical novel takes place at the high school where Jacob Freisten's primary goal is to remain unnoticed. All too often this classic loser finds himself cornered by some bully. When he is not being stuffed inside a locker or a trash can, Jacob suffers other forms of humiliation that are relayed in a string of colorful anecdotes. While running laps around the gym, he accidentally tramples Maria Tresser, the most beautiful girl in the school. Cupid's arrow strikes, and Jacob's seemingly hopeless infatuation leads to one disaster after another; but he finally wins a date with the girl of his dreams. Although Paulsen's pace may leave some readers breathless, most will relish the sharp wit and incredible energy of this ironic glimpse of high school life and young romance. Ages 11-14. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Gr 6-8-- Jacob Freisten, thin and freckled, the ``ugliest boy in history except for one,'' according to his own assessment, and a total clod to boot, has perfected the art of near invisibility, of being ``there but not there.'' He leads the kind of exaggeratedly painful life that requires careful timing and planning so he can avoid attracting attention; if people notice him, there's always a comic disaster. He even goofs up in his daydreams. His parents drink too much, his mother is devoted to his sister's blossoming career as a beauty contest winner, and he's close to failing English. His English teacher ropes him into working on the school production of The Wizard of Oz for extra credit, appropriately enough as the understage controller of the fog machine. This gives him an opportunity to work with Maria Tressor, the most perfect girl in the school, on whom he has a rapidly intensifying crush. But it's a mixed blessing. When it's time to fog, Jacob, the consummate timing expert, flubs it badly, and in the confusion he blurts his feelings out to Maria. She says an astonishing yes to his feeble invitation for a date, and romance blooms because, she tells him, he's a winner. This brief, humorous look at adolescent life, complete with distorted self-concept, is a departure from the intensity of much of Paulsen's work, but is no less of a survival story in its own way. The novel is told mostly through a third-person narrative with little conversation until the end, which has the effect of distancing readers; it becomes a gently ironic fable of transformation and first love, in which many readers will find themselves. --Leda Schubert, Vermont Department of Education, Montpelier

School Library Journal