Lawn Boy

Paulsen, Gary. (2007) New York: Wendy Lamb Books. 978-0-385-74686-1

PLOT SUMMARY

When a twelve year old boy receives a gift of a riding lawn mower from his eccentric grandmother, little does he know he will soon be the proprietor of a business that involves a number of illegal aliens, a prizefighter, a stockbroker, and a couple of heavies who want to take a cut of his business.

CRITICAL EVALUATION

This book illustrates the elements of business and capitalism in a very humorous way. It has shades of the buildup before the internet bubble burst in the nineties, and I kept waiting for his whole world to come crashing down. But that wouldn't be a very fun book for the kids reading it, and would seem almost too "I told you so." With the book ending positively, with the main character in possession of hundreds of thousands of dollars, it's almost inspirational for those who read it. While it's concept seems fantastic--I mean, who is lucky enough to stumble upon a stockbroker who can somehow pick the penny stocks and win!!--it is still an exercise in business ideas presented in an appealing way that will attract readers.

READER'S ANNOTATION

Who would ever guess that an old lawn mower could change a person's life? Certainly not the life of a twelve year old, either. But this is one lucky twelve year old. He mows one lawn and his life has nowhere to go but up, up, and up. And all without any real thinking of his own. Of course, there is always someone who is going to be jealous of the money being made. Luckily, he unknowingly sponsors a prizefighter who defends his business interests.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gary Paulsen has had a long and varied life performing jobs from working with and aerospace firm to traveling with a carnival. With such varied life experiences, he has lots of material from which to draw when writing his books. He has written more than 175 books for kids and adults. His dedication to kids and reading is evident in his dedication to his art--writing often more than 18 hours a day.

GENRE

Realistic Fiction

CURRICULUM TIES

Social Studies

Discuss the elements of business, including the problems that competition could pose. Construct a fictional business and research the aspects needed to make it a success.

BOOKTALKING IDEAS

With such a wide array of characters in this book, it would be fun to act out a booktalk by portraying several of the characters (include props to differentiate each character) and say a line or two that defines each one.

READING LEVEL/INTEREST AGE

12-18

CHALLENGE ISSUES

Violent character (prizefighter)

CHALLENGE DEFENSE IDEAS

He is, of course, just another character who brings the story to its conclusion. While he does use violence to get his way, he does show his good side and the main character actually understands and tries to get him to talk before resorting to violence.

WHY INCLUDE THIS BOOK?

I like that the book includes elements of business. They are important for kids to be familiar with, and the humorous way they are presented make it an enjoyable read.