Lizard [Library Binding]

Dennis Covington (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1999

Sent by his guardian to live at a Louisiana school for retarded boys, Lizard, a bright, deformed youngster, escapes with the help of a visiting actor who gives him a role in his repertory company's production of "The Tempest."

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Have you ever felt like a freak? Well, then you'll relate to Lucius Sims. Because he resembles a reptile, people call him Lizard, and they treat him like an alien because he's different. He's even put into a school for retarded boys even though there is no proof that he has a learning problem. Hang on tight, though, because Lizard is about to embark on a madcap adventure. On the road to freedom he might even find a way to accept himself! Covington won the Delacorte Prize for this sensitive novel about the oddball inside of us all. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly

Even though Lucius ("Lizard") Sims suffers only from a facial deformity and other birth defects, his guardian sends him off to the State School for Retarded Boys because she is getting married and wants him out from underfoot. When a man claiming to be Lizard's long-lost father takes him out of the institution, he's off on a series of tragicomic adventures that include an interstate chase, his first--unrequited--love, his acting debut (in The Tempest ), murder, fraud and a kind of homecoming. With bold originality, Covington's finely crafted first novel explores the time-honored themes of gaining worldly wisdom and resolving adolescent fears of being different. with bold originality. Throughout his tumultuous, sometimes violent and often funny escapades, Lizard maintains his goodnatured outlook, even in the painful throes of losing his innocence. Lizard is an intriguing cross between Candide and Huckleberry Finn. Ages 12-up.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Library Binding
• Publisher: Bt Bound (October 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0785716696
• ISBN-13: 978-0785716693
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,680,464 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing book that truely effected me, March 30, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Lizard (Hardcover)

When I read this book I was in 6th grade (I'm in 8th now), And this is the only book I can truely look back on and say I could visualize the colorful, inventive characters, And that I truely enjoyed the story and was amazed that such good books truely existed. This is an amazing book, And I highly recommend it to anyone going through a remotely tough time, Because no matter what Lucius Sims always had hope for the better.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Modern Classic in Children's Literature, June 14, 2001

By 

"lobot" (Boston, MA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lizard (Paperback)

Dennis Covington is a genius. I have read this novel almost three times now and with each new reading I find more layers to the story. Covington weaves a fantasticly strange story with bizzare characters that is very difficult to criticize.

Although the story itself is one we've all read before-- the coming of age of Lucius "Lizard" Sims is so fascinating that it will keep many wanting more to read. There are not enough good things I can say about this novel. It should be required reading in all schools.

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A poetic, bizarre, wild, disturbing and sensitive story., January 19, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Lizard (Paperback)

I liked this book a lot, but it wasn't at all what I expected. It made me a little uncomfortable because I felt like I was listening in on the authors thoughts. This particularly unnerved me because Dennis Covington was my teacher at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. I was lucky to be in his class during the publication of his book Salvation on Sand Mountain. I recommend reading that book too. You may have seen him on DATELINE NBC regarding his "snake handling" Sand Mountain topic. Regarding Lizard, if you're familiar with Birmingham, AL many of the landmarks will be familiar to you. Also, he is a nice man and a dedicated writer. Other books that may be of interest...Vicki Covington (his wife) has written several very good books