Leon and the Spitting Image [Paperback]

Allen Kurzweil (Author), Bret Bertholf (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 10, 2005 | Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

This book is about a hotel full of animals. And an evil ice maker. And glass eyeballs -- oh, and really old panty hose and Possibly Fake Hair. But mostly, it's about Leon Zeisel and his epic quest to survive fourth grade, despite his teacher, Miss Hagmeyer, and his archenemy, Lumpkin the Pumpkin, a human tank with a deadly dodgeball throw. Luckily, Leon has friends who will stand by him even if his magical plans for rescue and revenge involve ... SPIT!

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Leon Zeisel is in big trouble. He is perpetually exhausted due to an overactive icemaker in the hotel where he lives, he discovers in his mother's desk a confidential envelope from his school announcing that he displays "a troubling lack of fine motor skills," and worst of all, he begins fourth grade under the tyrannical tutelage of Miss Hagmeyer, a black-cloaked, black-wigged, mushroom-eared woman who is obsessed with sewing, a fine motor skill if there ever was one. Insisting that all instruction should stem from the Middle Ages and "The Heavenly Stitches of Virtue," the Hag forces her students to sew an "animile" per month, a stuffed animal of sorts that is not to exceed four s.p.i. (stitches per inch) in the inseam. What happens when Leon decides to sew his end-of-year "Master Piece," the "spitting image" of Miss Hagmeyer, an exact miniature replica down to her liver-colored panty hose? Allen Kurzweil creates a magical, eccentric world where, as in many of the most satisfying children's books, adults are benevolent but flawed--and kids are in delicious control of them. Fans of Daniel Pinkwater's novels will feel right at home with this clever and suspenseful underdog-turns-champion story with a dribble of magic. (Ages 8 and older) --Karin Snelson --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-6-A comic story with a touch of wish-fulfillment fantasy. Leon lives in the rather wacky and seedy New York City hotel where his mother works. The Classical School, which puts particular emphasis on handicrafts, presents a problem for him, as he is challenged in the area of fine motor skills. The villain of the piece is Leon's fourth-grade teacher, Miss Hagmeyer, who wears pantyhose the color of cooked liver and who has a curriculum based on the sewing of stuffed animals. In response to a threat that he may have to repeat the year, Leon sews a doll that is the "spitting image" of the teacher and by chance discovers that by manipulating it into different poses, Miss Hagmeyer follows suit as if in a trance. Leon and two friends then plot to get her to put a pair of her pantyhose over the head of the school bully. Kurzweil's humor is light and funny in relation to Leon's home life and friendships, but has more of an edge to it in the school-related scenes. The author handles the element of magic in a believable way. Less credible, however, is the speed with which his hero changes from being a "two stitches per inch" sewer to being capable of making a doll that looks like a human, even to the gnarls in the ears. If readers can suspend disbelief, they will enjoy the entertainment that Leon and his friends provide.
Sue Giffard, Ethical Culture Fieldston School, New York City
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Greenwillow Books (May 10, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060539321
• ISBN-13: 978-0060539320
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #775,436 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

From www.allenkurzweil.com...

"Allen Kurzweil is an editor and inventor, but mostly he writes fiction. His novels for adults include A CASE OF CURIOSITIES and THE GRAND COMPLICATION. He has also written two popular chapter books for children: LEON AND THE SPITTING IMAGE and LEON AND THE CHAMPION CHIP. In 2003, Allen teamed up with his 9-year-son Max to explore the scientific potential of the potato chip. That collaboration resulted in publication of POTATO CHIP SCIENCE, an award-winning eco-friendly kit that comes packaged inside a potato chip bag. Honored for his writing in Europe and the United States, Allen Kurzweil currently lives in Rhode Island, where he is a fellow at the John Carter Brown Library and a board member of the Providence Athenaeum."

For more information, visit allenkurzweil.com and potatochipscience.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Needles Ready!, May 30, 2004

By 

James Hiller (Beaverton, OR) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Leon and the Spitting Image (Hardcover)

Needing a book to read at the end of the year to my kids, I e-mailed a trustworthy librarian friend of mine, and this book was on the top of her list. That afternoon, the book was in my hand, and the next day, it was finished. Leon and the Spitting Image was an imaginative, drop-dead funny book that I can't wait to read to my class.

Written by Allen Kurzweil, who's better known for writing adult fiction like the wonderful "A Grand Complication", this book is all about Leon, a rather inept, un-dexterous lad who gets the misforunate of being assigned to Mrs. Hagmeyer's class. The Hag, as she is affectionately known, loves sewing above all else, much to the chagrin of Leon. As if in a labor camp, her students are forced to sew "animiles", little animals stuffed with her old panty hose. Leon's cohorts, P.W. and Lily-Matisse, engage in the mystery throughout the book, who is this horrible teacher Hagmeyer, and what can she possibly be doing with the creations?

The book is funny on two levels: children will love it for it's low-base humor (although I must admit to chuckling from time to time as well!), and smarter kids and adult will love it for it's sly, occasional puns, and situational humor (like a group of mimes, staying at the hotel that's Leon's home, complaining that their microphone isn't working). Writing a children's book is challenging because you must cover both arenas for a truly entertaining book, but Kurzweil holds up well. It is hardly reminiscent of Harry Potter, but much more in the vein of Roald Dahl.

By the end of the story, you don't necessarily want it to be over. Hopefully Kurzweil has in himself a few more books, so we can spend more time with Leon, his pals, a maid, an ice machine, and Napoleon!

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Somewhat Potteresque, With Notable Differences, October 21, 2003

By 

readforteens "readforteens" (Winchester, KY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Leon and the Spitting Image (Hardcover)

Yes, Leon is another down-and-outter, and yes, the other two main characters are his best friends, a brainy girl (like Hermione) and a fun-loving boy (like Ron Weasley), but the plot is still worthy of a good read. In fact, I couldn't put it down, and I am a middle-aged fuddy-duddy!
One could make the point that there is even a Hagrid-like cab driver who is a beneficent helper, but really, there are more differences than similarities. For one thing, Leon's mother is a presence, and a kind, loving, if harried one. Also, unlike Voldemoort the Irredeemably Evil, the antagonist in this story has some...well, if not *likable,* at least tolerable character traits. In other words, Not All Bad, like most people a ten-year-old meets in Real Life.
A most satisfactory ending has Justice Prevailing, Good Triumphing Over Evil, and the requisite Laughs to go along with it all.
Every 9-12 year old, boy or girl, should read LEON AND THE SPITTING IMAGE. It's *that* good.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Possessed Doll -- a review by Cy, age 10, January 23, 2004

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Leon and the Spitting Image (Hardcover)

Leon Ziesel's teacher is obsessed with sewing. Every week he is assigned a new "Animile", which means in Leon's point of view, a stupid sewing project that is supposed to look similar to an animal. Each time someone in his class finishes an Animile; they turn it in and get their sewing spool moved up a notch on the thread. When the spool reaches the end of the thread, you are considered a sewing master. On the final project, the teacher announces that each person may choose what he or she wants to sew. Leon suddenly has the greatest idea of his life - he decides to make an Animile of his teacher. Sadly, when he is finally finished, the school bully, Lumpkin, steals it and soaks it in Leon's Gym teacher's spit. At first Leon cries because he thinks his masterpiece is ruined, but then he starts to realize that he can possess his teacher simply by moving the doll...

This book had a very funny beginning to get you hooked, which is a very good tactic by the author. It was almost as funny as the scene where Leon uses the doll make his teacher, Miss Hagmeyer, to do crazy jump rope tricks. Although I think this book is very good, I think the plot could have been slightly better if the main part of this story had a better mystery; for example the mystery in this book was why they were making Animiles, but I didn't think that was very important. Although this book is funny, it isn't the best for people who love nonstop humor. The book is mostly about Leon Ziesel and his friends. But at the end of every chapter there is an exciting cliffhanger you can look forward to. If you like funny, exciting, or mysterious books this is definitely the book for you.