The Wild Kid [Hardcover]

Harry Mazer (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up

Sammy and Kevin depend on each other for friendship and survival. Yet, Sammy longs to go home, and he's got a plan that just might save him and his friend. Mazer explores the delicate bond between two misfit kids living on their own.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Readers may at first be misled, thinking that the wild kid of the title is the worried-looking boy clinging with long slender fingers to a cliff in the eye-catching jacket painting. However, once they reach the pictured climactic scene, readers may be surprised that the lad portrayed is the story's very tame protagonist, Sammy, a pudgy, maladroit 12-year-old with Down syndrome. With his simply worded third- person narrative, Mazer (Snowbound; The Dog in the Freezer) captures the thoughts and emotions?and occasionally profound insights?of someone whom most people, including the boy's own family, discount for being "retarded." Made to stay outside because he insulted his mother's boyfriend, "uncle" Carl, Sammy takes off on his bike rather than apologize. But the bike gets stolen, and in chasing down the thief, Sammy winds up lost in a nearby state forest where he literally stumbles across the eponymous Kevin. A reform-school escapee, Kevin at first keeps Sammy prisoner in his rude shelter, but then befriends him and teaches him to overcome some of his supposed disabilities. Sammy's innocent, doglike faith in suspicious, cynical Kevin is touching, yet not enough to sustain what is more like a novella than a full-length novel. And with the tensions that caused Sammy to leave home remaining unresolved upon his return, the ending falls flat. Ages 10-14.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-8-Sammy's troubles keep escalating. First he is punished for being fresh to Mom's friend Carl. Then he goes off to the store by himself, which is forbidden, and his new bike is stolen when he fails to chain it. Chasing the thief, Sammy becomes lost. Mazer brings the boy to life without revealing to readers anything that Sammy wouldn't tell, until Kevin, a wild kid who holds him captive in the woods, asks him if he's dumb. He says, "No, I'm Down's. I'm young for my age. I'm a special person." Vividly and with a fast pace, Mazer describes Sammy's world, his awful predicament, his magnificent spirit, and his incredible determination. The wild kid gradually changes from a vicious monster into a friend. As Sammy says, "Just because you're not always good doesn't make you bad." During their time together, Kevin and Sammy learn some important lessons from one another. The sentences are short, the descriptions simple, and the interaction between the characters complex and intriguing. Readers need to piece together Kevin's history and decipher the sometimes conflicting statements that Sammy makes. Phrases often used with persons with disabilities echo throughout the narrative. Yet this is not a "special" book for "special" readers, as sometimes books are termed that are too difficult or too limited in appeal. It's for anyone looking for an adventure, a survival story on many levels, or a compelling read.
Carol A. Edwards, Sonoma County Library, Santa Rosa, CA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Hardcover: 112 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing (September 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689807511
• ISBN-13: 978-0689807510
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,348,638 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars different. . . new., September 5, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Wild Kid (Hardcover)

I loved this book, Sammy, a mentally handicapped kid runs off to find the stealer of his bike which he forgot to lock up when he comes across - or rather falls across - Kevin or "K-Man." At first Kevin is extremely nasty to Sammy, calling him dumb and treating him like rotten you-know-what but as the days go by, Kevin starts opening up and letting Sammy into his tight ring of friends consisting of himself. This is a great story about friendship, trust and understanding, a must read for anyone who wants to try something a little new.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Makes For a Good Afternoon Read . . ., June 29, 2006

By 

P. Hardy (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Wild Kid (Hardcover)

The Wild Kid was something of a strange story for me to read. For starters I was slightly hesitant to read a story centered on a slightly "retarded" boy named Sammy. I have nothing against them but I assumed the storyline would make a big deal out of it and overdramatize the tweenager with Down's syndrome. To my elegant surprise the storyline doesn't even go out of its way to mention he has this "problem" save for maybe three times in the entire span of the book, which is something I was very thankful for.



That aside, I have to say I really enjoyed The Wild Kid; While the story itself is pretty straightforward -- almost to the point where it feels nothing really happens -- in what the side panel of the cover describes so adeptly. The way the author describes Sammy's escapades through the forest in search of his bike only to end up hostage of "feral" young man named Kevin is truly something that makes the wheels of the imagination turn.



At first, you want Sammy to run away because you really don't trust Kevin (especially with the way he treats the boy at first). However, as the story progresses you find yourself growing used to the harshness of Kevin's character and his strange interaction with the overly trusting Sammy. The only problem I think I have with The Wild Kid is the paragraphs are constructed in a sort of elementary way, for a younger audience to be honest. But all in all, I enjoyed reading this. A highly recommended story. ---- [a 4 out of 5]

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Touching but unbelievable story., July 6, 1999

By 

Shawna Stomberger ([e-mail]) (Danville, Kentucky) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Wild Kid (Hardcover)

Harry Mazer tackles a topic rarely covered by children's authors - - Down's Syndrome. Our youth need to better understand and respect special needs children, and this book helps that process. Sammy, the main character with Down's, portrays the struggles of his disability while also showing his strengths and sameness with other children his age. While I believe this novel has merit, I also have two complaints. One, the plot is not believable - - possibly probable, but not believable. For example, Sammy climbs a cliff only a professional rock climber could tackle. I realize authors may do this to create suspense, but Mazer carried it a little far in my opinion. Secondly, this novel also touches on the idea of abuse, a worthy topic for children. However, this conflict is not resolved. The abused boy, Kevin, had run away from home and he is still a runaway when the book ends. That is a serious issue to leave unresolved for children. Overall, this book is worth your time and your children's time to read. The plot is suspenseful, touching, and educational - - just not particularly believable.