The Unforgettable What's His Name

by Paul Jennings, Craig Smith (Illustrator)

Overview

Even before all this happened I had never been like the other kids. I tried not to be seen. If I climbed a tree or hid among the bins, no one could find me. "Where's What's His Name?" they'd say. Then, one weekend, I got what I wanted. First, I blended in with things. But on the second day I changed. I mean, really changed. The hilarious story of a boy with an unusual problem, from children's book legend Paul Jennings. Includes fantastic look-and-find color illustrations.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781760290856
Publisher:	Allen & Unwin
Publication date:	05/01/2018
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	5.80(w) x 8.20(h) x 0.70(d)
Age Range:	7 - 12 Years

About the Author

Paul Jennings has won every Australian children's choice book award. His books include Paul Jenning's Funniest Stories and Paul Jennings' Weirdest Stories. Craig Smith is one of Australia's most prolific children's book illustrators, with more than 380 books published. 

Editorial Reviews

"this tale…has a lot of quirk and heart.” —School Library Journal
 

From the Publisher

02/01/2018
Gr 2–5—Previously released in Australia, this tale of a boy who blends in a little too much has a lot of quirk and heart. The boy (readers don't learn his name until the end of the book) is so used to being ignored and being called "What's His Name" that his mother has invited another child, Horrible Gertag, over for the weekend to help ease the boy's sadness and loneliness. However, Gertag is definitely not the solution the boy desires, and he immediately tries to escape her company. During the next two days, very strange things begin to happen, including his blending into his surroundings and actually physically transforming into copies of objects around him. Complete with a madcap cast of characters including a motorcycle gang ("bikies") and a pack of monkeys, this illustrated adventure story packages a message about social anxiety in a very unique early middle grade format. Sentences are short and the language, with the exception of Australian terms, is simple enough to appeal to young readers of chapter books as well as more reluctant or struggling older readers. The illustrations vary from small black-and-white cartoons to full-color spreads with a "look and find" theme as readers must attempt to discover what or whom the boy has transformed into. VERDICT Fans of this author/illustrator duo will be sure to enjoy this newest title, while readers new to their work may take a bit of time to adjust to the Australian word usage and terms. An optional purchase for most elementary libraries.—Kate Olson, Bangor School District, WI

School Library Journal