Death by Toilet Paper
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- $7.99
Publisher Description
If you can't find toilet paper right now, that stinks (literally). But here is the book for you!
Fans of Louis Sachar will welcome the adventures of a contest-crazed seventh grader who uses his wits and way with words in hopes of winning a big cash prize to help his family avoid eviction.
Benjamin is about to lose a whole lot more than good toilet paper. If he doesn't make tons of money fast by selling candy bars and winning contests—like the Royal-T Bathroom Tissue slogan contest—his family will get kicked out of their apartment. Even with his flair for clever slogans, will Benjamin be able to win a cash prize large enough to keep a promise he made to his dad before he died? Or will he lose everything that matters to him?
Praise for Death by Toilet Paper
"Readers can't help but enjoy this heartening book about hanging in there."--Kirkus Reviews
"Ben is a character kids will root for."--Publisher's Weekly
"Would make a fine classroom readaloud."--The Bulletin
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Benjamin Epstein, 12, is having an epically bad year. His father's death left the family saddled with medical bills, his mother loses her job, and his grandfather, Zeyde Jake, arrives unexpectedly to live with them, displaying pronounced signs of Alzheimer's. Then, the landlord posts an eviction notice on their apartment door. Benjamin, however, is a mensch, determined to keep the promise he made to his dying father that he would take care of his mother. A contest buff, he pins his hopes on winning a $10,000 prize for the best new slogan for a brand of toilet paper. This is a profoundly sad story about a boy made to carry a heavy burden that ends, mercifully, on a hopeful note. Gephart (Olivia Bean, Trivia Queen) leavens the sadness with bathroom humor, but there's a disconnect between the lowbrow humor and the heavier elements of the plot. Still, Ben is a character kids will root for, and he's surrounded by family and friends who help him see things will be okay, a message that may comfort readers facing similar circumstances. Ages 9 12.
