Roxie and the Hooligans by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Roxie and the Hooligans is a book that just begs to be read aloud.

Take, for example, this description of Roxie's ears (the source of all her problems):

"It was her ears, of course. They were round ears, pink ears, ears of the normal variety, and Roxie scrubbed them daily inside and behind. But they stuck straight out from her head like the handles of a sugar bowl, the ears on an elephant, the wings on a bat."

And this passage, that actually managed to rouse my half-asleep boy and even evoke a giggle:

"Helvetia brayed like a donkey: 'Hee-yah, hee-yah!'

Simon howled like a hyena: 'Hoo-hoo ha-ha, hoo-hoo ha-ha!'

Freddy cawed like a crow: 'Ca-haw! Ca-haw!'

And Smoky Jo squeaked like a mouse: 'Eeeka. Eeeka. Eeeka.'"

Roxie Hooligan is an average fourth grader, who is tormented by a group of bullies, Helvetia's Hooligans. She also happens to be the niece of Uncle Dangerfoot who has traveled the world with Lord Thistlebottom, the author of Lord Thistlebottom's Book of Pitfalls and How to Survive Them. Roxie has nearly memorized Lord Thistlebottom's book of survival tips, even though she is sure she will never need to use them. But of course, we can all guess that Lord Thistlebottom's wisdom will, indeed, come in handy.

I wasn't really expecting much of this book. It's one of the 2007-2008 Texas Bluebonnet Award nominees, which is why I picked it up. I'm so glad I did. I thoroughly enjoyed this little book!