Title: Alvin Ho Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things
Author: Lenore Look Illustrator: LeUyen Pham Publisher: Yearling Year of Publication: 2008 Genre: Humor Horn Book or Kirkus Reviews rating: Horn Book Review 2 and Kirkus Starred Review Summary: Alvin Ho is just your typical second grader, who has never spoken a word at school, doesn’t seem to have any friends, and always has his PDK- personal disaster kit. Maybe he’s not so typical. Yet, his quirks are endearing and lead to entertaining situations. Summary of Professional Reviews: Alvin Ho’s enthusiasm for life does not carry over into school, where he cannot say a word. This story sheds light, in a respectful way, on troubles kids face. It shows us the world through Alvin’s eyes, through his neurotic, fearful eyes. The witty glossary and Pham’s expressive drawings complement this original story. |
Review by Crystal Ball: I don’t think I have ever been sucked into a book as quickly as I was with Alvin Ho Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things. By page three I could not wait to know everything about Alvin. He is not your average second grader but I was instantly enamored with his offbeat ways. Lenore Look humorously takes us through Alvin’s life where he idolizes his older brother, is slightly annoyed by his younger sister, and cannot speak at school. His unique mind makes it hard to make friends with the other kids. He goes to great lengths to avoid unwanted situations, like trying to contract chicken pox to stay out of school, but there wasn’t a chicken so he was stuck with regular pox. He even provides a “woeful glossary” at the end of the book. Look also flawlessly incorporates historical events and people throughout the story. LeUyen Pham’s charming illustrations help you see the world as Alvin sees it. There are a variety of lessons about being yourself, making friends, being polite, and accepting people as they are that make this book a must read for everyone from age seven on up.
This book would be useful when teaching… Alvin Ho Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things would be a fantastic book to introduce or support history lessons. You could focus on the Revolutionary War, Shakespeare, or Thoreau. Alvin makes multiple references to all of those, as well as others. There is also a fantastic message about being true to yourself and not allowing other people to be in control of your life. Many wonderful discussions could be sparked by reading this charming book. |