{Review} The Barftastic Life of Louie Burger by Jenny Meyer Hoff

Publication date: June 11, 2013

Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux

ISBN-13: 9780374305185

Synopsis

Young Louie Burger likes to spend his time in his big closet preparing comedy routines for his shows and comedian posters, but when his sister asks the big question “Are you really a comedian if you don’t perform in front of others?” Louie’s closet is in danger of disappearing and he can’t get that questions out of his head, especially with the fifth grade talent show coming up and several people telling him he should perform.

Now Louie isn’t in danger of losing his comedy stage but also of losing his best friend when  a new friend comes into Nick’s world and Louie feels set to the side. Can Louie get his confidence and perform with an audience while getting back his spot as Nick’s best friend?

Review

The Barftastic Life of Louie Burger had me worried at first; there was an excessive use of the word barf, I say excessive because it is a word we don’t hear so often and here you might get to see it on every third page or so. I thought the book would lose all relevance and the word barf would be the only thing I would end up remembering from this book; I was gladly proven that I was wrong.

 Louie is a flawed character, he feels real and you can feel his change moods along the story. I like how he doesn’t make it a big deal that he is the only male sibling in his family and how he takes the time to play with Ruby his quirky and adorable little sister that isn’t afraid of marching at her own beat.

The lessons Louie learns in this book are valuable for every kid to remember, bullies aren’t funny and you should not make fun of someone else just to escape the bully-radar, being afraid is natural but there are some rewards for those that decide to take the risk any way, don’t judge others by their appearances   you might be stealing yourself of a wonderful opportunity.

I would have wished that the character known as Thermos would have had a more complete part to the story, I know this is Louie’s story but I think this character could bring a story really worth telling to the table. The way this character gets bullied and the way Thermos fits into the story would have helped give this story the extra kick it needed to be a great story.

I loved that the parent figures weren’t shadows or blurbs on the background of the story, Louie Burger has a family who spends time together, the parents issues aren’t oblivious to the children yet they are just there enough to enhance the main points that this books is trying to make.

Yes, I do think The Barftastic Life of Louie Burger is a book worth checking with your little owns.

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