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Pottymouth and Stoopid
by James Pattterson and Chris Grabenstein
illustrated by Stephen Gilpin
At a Glance
Genre(s):
Humor, Realistic Fiction
Age Range:
8-10 years old
Plot:
David and Michael, AKA Pottymouth and Stoopid, have been bullied since pre-school. Now in 7th grade, they try to use humor to deal with the incessant name-calling.
Pros:
- Gilpin's illustrations are fun, and help to move the story along
- Quick, easy read
- Pottymouth's made-up words are actually pretty fun
Cons:
- Completely unrealistic, insensitive take on bullying
- stereotypical, cardboard characters
- the ending felt tacked on and insubstantial
- while it is trying to be funny, the humor is just over the top
Would I recommend this title:
No.
I think I may be in the minority when it comes to Pottymouth and Stoopid--it has 4.5 stars on Amazon and 3.86 stars on Goodreads. I did not like it at all.
The characters are very stereotypical--the main bully is a blonde cheerleader. The bullying was also unrealistic, and in my opinion insensitive. The teachers and the principal even get in on the bullying. The teachers weren't just turning a blind eye to the bullying--they were actually participating.
The bullying just get tedious and eye-roll-worthy after awhile. There was no reprieve because the humor, in the face of this bullying was insubstantial. It almost felt like it was trying to go for Captain Underpants or Diary of a Wimpy Kid meets bullying, but it fell flat.
Early in the book, the mom tells Stoopid that there are worse things in life than being called a silly name. And then the book does nothing to show any fallacy in this statement. The ending felt tacked on. The book could have been saved by some kind of message that bullying is inherently wrong. But it never got there.
The characters are very stereotypical--the main bully is a blonde cheerleader. The bullying was also unrealistic, and in my opinion insensitive. The teachers and the principal even get in on the bullying. The teachers weren't just turning a blind eye to the bullying--they were actually participating.
The bullying just get tedious and eye-roll-worthy after awhile. There was no reprieve because the humor, in the face of this bullying was insubstantial. It almost felt like it was trying to go for Captain Underpants or Diary of a Wimpy Kid meets bullying, but it fell flat.
Early in the book, the mom tells Stoopid that there are worse things in life than being called a silly name. And then the book does nothing to show any fallacy in this statement. The ending felt tacked on. The book could have been saved by some kind of message that bullying is inherently wrong. But it never got there.
What a disappointment! Though to be honest I don't usually have high hopes when I see these "James Patterson and...." books, they often feel rushed and unfinished, like they're being pushed out as quickly as possible. :(
ReplyDeleteThis was the first that I've read that was a "James Patterson and..." I think I will steer clear in the future. I do enjoy his Treasure Hunters series though. But I believe that he is the sole writer on those.
ReplyDelete