Customer Reviews

Slob

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Both funny and poignant, I never knew I could enjoy a middle-grade novel as much as I did "SLOB" by Ellen Potter.

Owen Birnbaum is fat. But he wasn't always that way. Something bad happened and now he's the fattest kid at school, spending his days being teased endlessly by his classmates, afraid that the new school psycho who carries a switchblade in his sock is out to get him, tortured by his cruel gym teacher, and dealing with his sister who has decided she wants to dress and look like a boy and be called Jeremy.

Life isn't all bad though. Owen is a genius and he can invent cool stuff, like a TV that shows the past--a past that is scary, but one that can answer the questions burning inside his head...if only he can get it to work.

When the Oreos from Owen's lunch keep disappearing, he's sure the school psycho is the culprit. Owen puts together a plan--along with a neat new thief catching device--to help capture the Oreo snatcher. What he doesn't consider, however, is that science might not hold all the answers.

Every middle-grade reader will find something to enjoy in "SLOB". More than a story about an overweight kid who is teased profusely, "SLOB" is the story of one boy's quest to uncover the truth about the tragic event that altered his life forever.

Speaking directly to the reader, Owen shares his struggles at school--which stink, but he's not overly upset about because he's smarter than all those guys anyway, his sister's involvement in GWAB (Girls Who Are Boys), the torture he endures at the hands of his gym teacher Mr. Wooly, and how things change for him once the psycho comes to school--not only is Mason Ragg a psycho, he's a smart psycho.

Opening with the line, "My name is Owen Birnbaum, and I'm probably fatter than you are.", Owen does not suffer from low self-esteem, as one might imagine. His being fatter than you is "pure statistics". Immediately, the reader is drawn in by Owen, and Owen is so entertaining and engaging that the reader will never want to stop learning more about him until the last page of the book. But then again, if the reader is anything like me, she's hoping for a sequel.

The contraptions Owen invents are amazing, and Owen describes them to you in detail and shares how they work. I can see a lot of middle-grade boys trying to recreate or improve upon Owen's inventions after reading "SLOB".

Potter has done such an excellent job of making Owen real for her audience that you'll soon forget that an adult woman wrote this book. And if parents are cool enough to pick up a copy of "SLOB" or to sneak their child's copy when he/she is off at school, they will be treated to references to The Brady Bunch, Happy Days, Mork and Mindy, Charlie's Angels and other hit shows from their youth. Of course, in Owen's world they are Retro TV, but we adults like to call them classics. I have to admit Owen's mother's name--which is Zelda--reminds me of The Legend of Zelda game my son played on his original Nintendo video game system.

I highly recommend "SLOB" by Ellen Potter. Funny and offbeat, yet equally poignant, "SLOB" is destined to add more awards to this talented author's portfolio.

Owen Birnbaum is a twelve year old boy genius that weighs 156 pounds. Owen lives in New York City and goes to school at Martha Dixie School. There he is bullied of being over weighted and smarter than everyone else. Take for example, his missing Oreo cookies.

Every day someone at school keeps stealing his three Oreos out of his lunch bag. I do want to add that his lunch bag is actually called a canvas sack. It's made out of a recycled shower curtain - too funny!

Anyway, Owen loves his little cookies and is furious about this. He decided to use his brains to catch the thief. Each day, Owen will invent some sneaky tricks to find out who did it.

Meanwhile, he is busy with another obstacle. He's making a T. V. that will show the past. He needs to find the truth of a horrible event, taking place almost 2 years ago.

Even though some of the parts for me were laugh-out-loud funny, I felt so deeply for Owen. Also the realism in the book is so up-in-your-face good. I highly recommend this book and look forward to more books written by Ellen Potter.

Reviewed by daughter, Nona.

SLOB is a little different than the OLIVIA KIDNEY books because the main character and narrator is a 12 year-old boy. The book starts with Owen telling you that he's not the typical twelve-year-old boy because he is "57 percent fatter than the national average for a twelve-year-old boy." From the first paragraph, I just knew I was going to fall in love with Owen. He is a wonderful, kind, insecure kid who just happens to be a genius (1 point shy as he reminds the reader.) He is definitely a memorable character that many young kids will relate to, and I absolutely adored him and can't stop thinking about what a fantastic person he was.

It quickly becomes clear that Owen and his sister Jeremy (she has changed her name to a boy's name) have been through a lot; however, the reader is gradually given hints that something tragic happened in their past. I had some ideas, but I have to admit that I was shocked with the secret. I thought Ms. Potter did an amazing job of telling this story and keeping the reader's attention.

SLOB does deal with some very serious issues, and my heart definitely went out to Owen and Jeremy; however, I have to say that I found this book to be hilarious! There was so much humor woven into this story, especially Owen's insights into life, that I don't consider it a "sad" read. The ending is definitely upbeat and the reader is left with some terrific messages. I think kids will feel bad for Owen, but I think they will absolutely love the mystery, suspense and humor in this novel. I know I couldn't put it down!

There are a lot of themes in the book that are relevant for kids in today's society including childhood weight issues, violence, lack of self-esteem, bullying, etc. And I think it would make a fabulous discussion book either in school or even in a mother/daughter (parent/child) book club. I believe that reading SLOB and discussing the issues in it might just open the lines of communication for parents and children alike. And, I know that Owen's battle and his resilience will strike a chord with many young readers and give them the confidence they need to handle some of the challenges in their lives.

When I finished this novel, I tweeted Ms. Potter telling her how wonderful it is. She mentioned that she has a special connection to SLOB because it is loosely based on the relationship between her brother and her. That made the book even more special in my eyes, especially the scenes with Jeremy. I can't wait for my daughter to read it!!!

This book really made me think about how people are being treated. My school tried to teach kids about how bullying is bad, mostly focusing on what to do if KIDS are bad. Well this is in a way showing how adults can be bullies, and that these lessons won't just apply to school years. I regret not taking in the book to show my teachers, it is an amazing read, for adults and kids.

especially with the way kids treat kids today. it teaches children to thrive independently and not to allow anyone get them down even during hard times. It was a bit emotional too. but good for children who may have suffered the loss of a loved one. may help with coping.

As a mother who screens everything her 11-year-old daughter reads, I've found it challenging to find books that deal with sudden unjustifiable and unjust death, and its consequences for those left behind in a sensitive and non-scary manner. In Ellen Potter's "Slob", I discovered a true gem. Rather than taking on a judgmental approach towards those responsible, the book allows the readers to take on the role of observer through the eyes of the protagonist. We've heard that when something traumatic happens how our souls rise apart from our bodies as a protective measure: that's how the book read to me. Nevertheless, not since Avi's "Nothing but the Truth" has my jaw hit the ground with such force at the story's conclusion. This is a book about picking up the pieces in our own way, and in our own time - said daughter was similarly moved:

"The book, 'Slob' by Ellen Potter was absolutely... amazing, in how it made me feel satisfied, happy and thoughtful.

"Twelve-year-old Owen Birnhaum is the fattest and smartest kid in his school. However, there is much Owen can't out-think; like how his Oreos keep disappearing from his lunch, or why his sister suddenly wants to be called by a boy's name, or why the scariest kid in school keeps looking at him. After some challenges and adventures though, Owen finally finds out that it doesn't matter how big you are if your heart is twice that size.

"My favorite part was when Owen starts to pray for a bad guy to have bad things happen to his every day, oly to change his mind and pray that the man has someone in his life who thinks he's a better person than he actually is instead. Then, he says, "Ok. That really is the best I can do" because it made the story so... complete. It was wonderful.

"I would give the book 5 big gold stars."

There are some books that readers might miss out on simply because they are not featured prominently in a store nor do they have the mass appeal that other more widely popular books enjoy. Ellen Potter's SLOB is one of those books. Recently, there were no copies of this book available at my local Barnes & Noble and even at the local indie bookstore the only copy was way above kids' eye level and if I hadn't been looking for something else I wouldn't have even seen it. To me, this is a shame because SLOB is an amazing piece of middle grade fiction which I only happened upon because it was assigned reading as part of a book club.

I will say that this review is going to be difficult to write because I really don't want to give away any spoilers. What I can tell you is that the story is about a 12 year old boy named Owen who is a genius and overweight. With that information you might think that this is just another one of those middle school stories about a boy who is bullied because of his size. And though that is a big part of the book, it really isn't what the story is all about. This is the first time that I can actually say that not having even read the summary made the book more enjoyable. I was able to truly appreciate the author's skill in unveiling the motivations behind Owen's behaviors.

Anyone who has every gone through middle school will be able to relate with some part of Owen's story. You will find places that will make you laugh and other parts that will make you want to cry. Potter does a wonderful job telling Owen's story and though the ending might seem a little too nicely wrapped up, it does provide for a satisfying and hopeful conclusioin. Overall, SLOB is a stand-out in the field of "coming of age" stories. I recommended it to my sixth graders and have made it a point to tell my local bookstores that this is one book that should be on their shelves.

For more of this review, check out youngadultlitreviewblog dot blogspot dot com.

- Aly

Owen Birnbaum is 57 percent fatter than the average twelve-year-old. But this isn't self-pity speaking. It's just the facts. When Owen introduces himself in the first pages of this novel, the reader immediately knows we're also meeting a boy with better than average intelligence and a wry sense of humor.

Along with battling his weight, Owen has some other problems. One is the puzzle of who keeps stealing his Oreo cookies from his lunch sack. Another is the bullying gym teacher who revels in humiliating the fat kid. And the most important is building Nemesis, which will help him solve a mystery that took place two years ago.

At times Slob touches on serious matters no twelve-year-old should have to deal with. But Ellen Potter handles them in a sensitive manner, and Owen's pain rings believable and true. I really enjoyed this well-written story, and I hope we get to see a lot more of Owen Birnbaum, who's truly a delightful character.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

I judged this book for an award at a local junior high, and found it surprisingly good. The narrator, Owen, has a very believable voice, and while some of the book was a bit far-fetched, I found it to be an overall enjoyable read. The plot - a mystery, which begins with missing Oreo cookies - is quite good, and ties together excellently.

I would give the book five stars, except that I felt like there was a slight lack of depth. I realize that it's a children's/young adult book, but I felt the author could've delved a little deeper, and come out with a slightly more mature book. All in all, however, I would recommend this book to junior high kids, and maybe even lower level ninth graders. The only potential problems I see are the references to swearing and violence, but these are both so minimal, that I can't really see anyone complaining.

Pitch perfect in its humor and psychological depth, SLOB is an instant classic, in my opinion. I was hooked from the first page and couldn't put it down. I'm a huge fan of Ms. Potter's adult novel, "The Average Human," and am now enjoying her tween lit just as much. Can't wait to see what she'll come up with next!! SLOB will definitely be my gift of choice this year for my young friends who like to read.