Customer Reviews

The Boy Who Lost His Face

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(12)

 

 

I have enjoyed all the Sachar books. This one ventures into controvesial language and behavior and nervous parents and teachers will worry that children will use this language inappropriately. I read this book to my seven year old and not only did he love it, but he found the discussion of such controversial subjects very thought provoking. There is a lengthy discussion between friends and parents about giving somebody the finger. What it means, how context influences meaning, who is aware or unaware of its meaning. I don't know where else kids are going to find such thoughtful and provocative discussions. Certainly not from parents and teachers. Thank goodness for Louis and his brave publisher. This book connects to kids in a dramatic and moving way, and best of all shows that reading can be a real key into understanding and thinking. Kudos to Sachar!!!

I picked up a copy of "The Boy Who Lost His Face" because I quite enjoyed Sachar's other books (specifically, "Holes" was brilliant). This ended up being one of his finest works, insightful and funny. The book does use 'naughty' language at parts, but it is used to aid the story (for example, the main character and his father ponder over why certain acts are considered vulgar, and others aren't)... and it's nothing you won't see on prime-time television.

I've always loved Louis Sachar's books, and this one wasn't different. Even though it has some bad language, some kids do talk like that. David has a lifelike problem, and the old lady and the curse add fun to it. I love all the funny things that happen to him, like his pants falling down, or dropping the test tube in science. All the characters are unique and interesting. I would suggest this book to anyone except younger kids. I really liked it!

The parent in me says that this book should be required reading for all kids. The kid in me (what's left of it) knows that making it required would be exactly the wrong thing to do if you want kids to read it. I want kids to read this! For the last two years, I've been reading to my kids. We've read all the Harry Potters, C.S. Lewis, the first book of the Lord of the Rings, Holes - another Louis Sachar book, and highly recommended - and more. This book went over the best, by far, of all of them. My 9-year old daughter loves it, my 14-year old son, as well as our 20-year old and my wife laughing from across the room. We're all transported into this teenage-world where you are paralyzed by your concern about what everybody might think about you. There is something so rich about this book, like crocuses emerging from the snow. It shows how "standing up for yourself" can have many different forms and you can find your own. (Note re the language used in this book: my kids were extremely impressed with it.)

This is reasonably entertaining and thought provoking book but not Sachar's best work. I much more highly recommend "Holes" and "A Boy in the Girl's Bathroom". Although there are a couple of inventive plot twists here, and the book does provoke thought regarding our value systems and human interaction, the middle portion of the book during which the "curse" was inflicted upon the main character seemed to drag a bit. In addition this book was not nearly as humorous as the two previously mentioned novels. As far as the obscenities are concerned, if the liberal use of four letter words and protracted discussions surrounding the significance of "flipping someone off" are not inappropriate then there is no concern. Personally, I felt obligated to "censor" certain sections as I read the book aloud to my nine year old daughter. I would recommend the book for 12 year olds and up.

I remember discovering this book in my 5th grade classroom library. It was a big, secret hit because it had SWEARING in it, which of course my friends and I thought was hilarious. But it was hilarious because it was in a BOOK, in the school library no less. God knows we knew the words already, and we certainly knew how to use them. For a while it was fun to just remember the pages with the dirty words and giggle over them, but eventually I decided to sit down and actually READ the book. And it made a big enough impact on me that I still remember it now, eight years later. Louis Sachar must remember middle school better than most of his peers, because he writes about how it is. Middle school students adore his books because they're accurate; kids know when they're being talked down to. Middle schoolers, yes, even your precious 9-12 year olds, know how to swear, know how to fight, and know how to flip off old ladies. Kids are not nice, not in the least, and at least Louis Sachar can write a book that they can relate to. It's pointless to suggest that a book aimed at this age group should be held responsible for upholding any grand morality. When you're 12, you really don't care. But if it's a book that kids will want to read, that teaches how to stand up for yourself and appreciate the friends you have, well... isn't that the point?

I have a 7 year old daughter who reads constantly. I try to read one or two books by the author before I let her read the author's work, particularly with modern books. I have read several Sachar books and I have been pleased. Although this book is meant for an older audience, I'm sure many younger children, like my daughter, will pick it up unknowingly. (She wanted a more challenging book) I was disappointed with the constant use of vulgar language throughout the book. The story line is riviting and very thoughtful but the language is highly inappropriate for children. Children imitate art... parents, read it first.

I'm shocked that parents are giving this 1 stars just because of the issues and language in the book. Some say this isn't what your child should be reading. Please, grab one of those "classics" that you may know...same thing: Language and risky topics. All your books aren't going to give schmaltzy crap. Your child needs to read, and once he grows older, he needs to dive deeper into it. Would you rather him learn the language from your local television?

Anyways, "The Boy Who Lost His Face" is actually a real-life depicition of a normal suburbia...well, in 1989. Thank god Sachar didn't put any recent refrences...that would make it outdated. The language and profanity, as well as risky topics, add into it. Someone says that "the excuse of 'This is how children act' is wrong" (or something to that extent). Please, PLEASE learn to jump into real life. This IS real life. That could be why this one didn't get much recongition.

It is very thought-provoking, as David has a lot to deal with. Losing his friends, and them become bullies to him. As being 15, there's a lot that I can relate to: The crush, which actually IS depicted as you remembered what it was like. The jerks, true too (well, except the fighting, my school is very strict so we never see any), as well as the eventual nerd friends (Mo and Larry [the "Three Stooges" allusion in the book is presently perfectly, especially the hilarious scene when David tries to explain it to his brother]).

Another great notch about this book is that even though it isn't in first person (none of Sachar's books are, anyways [though the "Holes" movie is told in first person]), he really puts you into the mind of David. For example, during slow scenes, when David is supposed to being thinking more, the detail of the scene increases. And whenever David is around Tori (or Miss Williams), his crush, the detail of her movements increases, as if an actual boy was analyzing her, or paying very close attention.

It also reaches into side character development, as well. Mo and Larry's roles increase during the book, as well as tensions between them. Ricky, David's brother, even though having a minor role, still has a great charactization, as becoming an evil brother to David, colliding with the bullies at school.

Anyways, the book is great, especially for those who are in junior high or high school. They'll really relate. Besides, who of us hasn't seen our crush talk to another, and think they're going out with them. Or who else hasn't had one taunted constantly by the nitpicking teacher? Or who hasn't taking an evil old lady's cane...OK, I haven't and most likely who haven't, but that's besides the point...

...anyways, please don't listen to the crappy "over-conscience" parent reviews about the language, and just buy the book. I'll promise you that you'll love it...

David and Scott had been best friends since grade school. They were the type of friends who walked to and from school everyday and spent most of their free time together. However, in middle school Scott, who is smart, good looking, and athletic, finds himself being invited to hangout with the popular boys. At first, David also hangs out with the popular kids, but his acceptance into this group is only due to his association with Scott. David doesn't particularly like Scott's new friends and he knows that they are just barely tolerating him. But even worse is that David gets the feeling that Scott, his best friend, is embarrassed by David's presence when hanging out with these "cool" kids.

David tries to fit in and even goes along with a vicious prank on an elderly woman even though he knows it was wrong. (During the prank, the woman puts a "curse" at David.) However, David's attempts to fit in fail and gradually he gets the idea that his friendship with Scott is over. To emphasize that they are no longer friends, Scott with his new buddies decide to make David's school life miserable. David finds himself alone and seemingly cursed in the unfriendly world of middle school.

Yet David makes new friends. There is Larry, an odd guy, who constantly wears blue sunglasses, and claims to have lived all over the world. And there is Maureen (better known as Mo) a petite girl with short hair and "a-don't-mess-with-me" demeanor. And then there is "Ms. Williams"- the girl David likes and has given hints that she likes him too. David should be happy. He has new friends and he is on the verge of asking Ms. Williams out. However, Scott and his buddies not only continue to tease David, but also start picking on his new friends and his younger brother. Even worse is that David thinks that the "curse" put upon him, which he believes is causing to do a lot of dumb, clumsy, and obnoxious stuff, is ruining his chances with Ms. Williams. So David must find a way to beat the curse and in doing so he must also confront the bullies as well as his own guilt and fears.

Louis Sachar's depiction of middle school life certainly rings true in many aspects. (I had a close grade school friend who abandoned me for the popular crowd in junior high.) Also, Sachar recognizes that sometimes fighting back is the only thing that will make a middle school bully back off. (I tried for months to ignore the bullies who had targetted me. However, that only encouraged wanna-be kids to see me as an easy way to increase their social standing. It was only after I finally stood up and I clobbered a wanna-be that most of the teasing ended.) Sachar's depiction of a middle school brawl is graphic and very realistic.

Also realistic is the language used by the characters. However, I have to agree with some of the other reviewers here that this sort of language is inappropriate for the age group this book is marketed for. Yes, I used this sort of language when I was 12, but I don't think the use of it should be encouraged in a book for kids 9-12. It's also unneccessary. I think there are some good lessons to be learned from this book such as moral responsibility and standing up for yourself and your friends, but the inclusion of some very harsh language will make teachers and school librarians less likely to recommend it to their students.

I particually enjoyed this book. I have read two other books by Louis Sachar (Holes and There's a boy in the girl's bathroom)and this was probabally the best. Louis Sachar is a very good author.This book was funny and realistic. A normal school is very like the one in the story. The language is what people about twelve would use. There is a twist to the story which I enjoyed. I would strongly reccomend this book.