The Cat Ate My Gymsuit
There's a Bat in Bunk Five
|
Danziger laughs at disasters
Paula Danziger knows that being a kid is not necessarily the "best years of your life," and for almost 25 years, she's been helping kids get through those years with her humorous and realistic novels for six-to-14-year-olds. The Cat Ate My Gymsuit, first published in 1974, set the standard now expected by young readers with its story of Marcy Lewis, an overweight, somewhat shy, junior-high girl who takes up the cause of her suspended English teacher.
Kids may know Danziger's character, Amber Brown, best, but Marcy Lewis, Matthew Martin, and Aurora Berealus Williams also bring nods of recognition. Their popularity stems from the way Danziger treats their serious, at least to them, problems with vigor and humor. Finding a pimple, breaking up with a best friend, and fighting with parents -- Danziger paints such catastrophes in a mix of sympathy and humor. She has mastered the craft of middle-grade novel while adopting the costume and manner that appeal to kids. She stays in touch through her regular visits to schools and book fairs.
|
Support your 
The marvel is that Danziger's stories are still so current -- no out-of-date slang or situations. Her first book was re-issued in paperback this past April along with There's a Bat in Bunk Five. This month, readers can find two more of her popular titles, Can You Sue Your Parents for Malpractice? and The Divorce Express, in the same format.