Publishers Weekly
In one of four heavily illustrated novels launching the Zeke Meeks chapter book series, Green and Alves address fads, consumerism, and schoolyard tribulations with ample amounts of irreverent and self-referential humor. Third-grader Zeke likes to spend recess shooting hoops, but his friends have forsaken basketball (and all other physical activity) for Puppet Pals, a much-hyped brand of finger puppets that are inspiring Beanie Baby–like levels of devotion. Since no one will play with him, Zeke eventually caves in and buys a box of Puppet Pals, which only results in additional clashes with popular kids and bullies alike. Levelheaded Zeke is an entertaining and likable narrator (“I love happy endings.... Then I glanced at this book. I realized this isn’t the ending. There are a lot more pages left”), though other characters are less fully developed; the classmates’ banter gives the book a Saturday morning cartoon sensibility, underscored by Alves’s Nickelodeon-ready spot art. Amid all the one-liners, Green encourages readers not to just follow the herd—especially when expensive “bits of colored felt” are involved. Ages 7–10. (Feb.)ABOUT THE BOOK :
Published by: Capstone
Pages: 128
Ages appropriate: 7-10
Series: Zeke Meeks
Genre: Children's Fiction
GRAMMIE'S TAKE ON ZEKE :
Silly, slimey, scratchy and goofy as this story may be, it's as good as it gets for elementary school kids; especially boys. Both boys and girls; however, will love all the horrible things that can happen with little sisters and their "potty" language, drooling old dogs, and semi-scary school friends. The illustrations in this small "chapter" book make it as fun and funny as it can be. It will delight early readers.
Everything comes together over the newest kid toy trend--the love of Puppet Pals finger puppets. Zeke Meeks happens to be a boy's-boy who loves sports, especially basketball, and he's truly not interested in what he considers boring old finger puppets. All the noise and focus on them amongst his best buds, though, causes him some issues.
Zeke learns a lesson or two along the way as he tries to reconcile his feelings about the "Putrid Puppet Pals;" lessons about talking it out with friends, sharing, spending his allowance wisely, handling a school bully and understanding different choices.
Kids will love how he braves a chore to sweep his scary, spider-filled basement so his mom will pay for those dreaded puppets, even though he doesn't really want them. His need to become one of the crowd makes him feel sad in the end, and changes everything when his friends wake up to the real situation of "Zeke Meeks vs The Putrid Puppet Pals."
4 stinker wasp puppet buzzes
Grammie Bee
