The Barftastic Life of Louie Burger
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- $17.99
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- $17.99
Publisher Description
Fifth grader Louie Burger figures that with a goofy name like his, he must be destined to be a king of comedy like his idol Lou Lafferman. But he's only ever performed his stand-up act in his closet, where he and his dad created the most exclusive comedy club ever—if by "exclusive" you mean that no one's ever allowed inside. With the school talent show coming up, Louie's wondering if now is his moment to kill (that's comedian talk for "make actual people laugh"). And maybe, if he brings down the house, he'll win back his former best friend Nick—who seems to be turning into one of those annoying sporty types—and fend off his dad's home-improvement obsession, which threatens to remodel Louie's comedy closet into a private bedroom for his older sister. Barftrocious!
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Louie dreams of doing standup comedy, and he gives it his all when he's alone on the stage he and his father built in his oversize bedroom closet. But he's also upfront about his fear of performing: "What's the deal with stage fright?" he asks, Seinfeld-style. "It's not like the stage is going to bite me or give me a wedgie. It would make more sense to have audience fright. Actually, I have that, too." In addition to the fifth-grader's anxiety about participating in the school talent show, Louie feels abandoned both by his best friend and by his recently unemployed father, who becomes depressed when his artistic aspirations don't pan out. Though "barf" is a cornerstone of Louie's vocabulary (sports are "barfgusting," Fluffer-nutters are "barfmazing"), Meyerhoff (Sami's Sleepaway Summer) deals with peer relationships, family cohesiveness, and finding the courage to follow one's dreams amid the rampant bodily humor. Week's energetic comics-style cartoons ramp up the story's slapstick comedy, whether demonstrating Louie's "Barf Brothers" secret handshake or his major faceplant during gym glass. Ages 8 12.
