Donuthead

Is there any sight more thrilling to the human heart than when one witnesses the start of a writer who will someday be regarded as one of the greats? Sue Stauffacher, as of this review, hasn't that many children's books to her name. This in no way reflects badly on Sue. She's at the beginning of her authorial career and is already wowing audiences left and right with her witty/heartfelt tales. My mother, a bookstore employee in Southwest Michigan (much like the author), turned me onto one of Ms. Stauffacher's first tales by simply quoting the first lines in the book. "My name, if you must know, is Franklin Delano Donuthead. Try saying that in a room full of fifth graders if you think names will never hurt you". And we're off! Yes, true enough our hero has the unfortunate moniker, Donuthead. It's a family name. Apparently when one of his ancestors emigrated to America, the otherwise respectable title Donotscked was changed to Donuthead. This might be seen as unfortunate, but if Franklin's ancestor was anything like his latest descendent then he probably deserved the change. You see, Franklin likes his life to be orderly to the point of madness. His number one goal in life is to not die. So far, he's done rather well. He makes sure that his mother buys only organic foods (berating her sharply if jellybeans somehow make an appearance on the grocery list). He engages in no sports and he regularly calls the chief statistician for the National Safety Department in Washington (a Ms. Gloria Nelots) for advice. Then, one day, Franklin's matter-of-fact existence runs smack dab into Sarah Kervick. Sarah's dirty (quote Donuthead, "I'd never seen a finer host for parasites... In less than thirty seconds, she would be sitting close enough for her fleas to change their address), gets in trouble all the time, and can't read. But Sarah, unlike Franklin, is privy to a host of fabulous hopes and dreams. And without meaning to, without WANTING to, Franklin finds that if the statistic that states that people who have friends live longer is true, he may soon be set for life. Stauffacher walks a fine line throughout this book. It might be very easy to interpret the character of Donuthead as someone suffering from OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder). The fact that the kid has to sing the happy birthday song three times when he washes his hands, and must start over again if she looses track of the song, is evidence enough. But this isn't a story about OCD. Franklin's supposed to be funny, so we must assume that his peculiar tendencies are self-inflicted and not the result of some kind of disorder. This is not, suffice it to say, "As Good As It Gets" for kids. And Donuthead is funny. He talks like a forty-year-old British accountant and treats his mother more like a child than like a parent. He's also funny to listen to. Some of the best parts of this book occur when Franklin calls up Gloria for advice that goes above and beyond National

No worries! This book is wonderful. It's a funny and winsome story about an anxiety-ridden boy named Franklin Delano Donuthead. FDD spends his days calculating the statistical likelihood of (most likely to be fatal) accidents, while planning to avoid as many as possible, before he meets a girl named Sarah and must risk coming out of his hard, protective shell. An author to watch, able to treat serious issues in a humorous way, while still getting across their seriousness. Perfect for 4th-7th graders.

I agree with the other reviewers that this is a wonderful story with a quirky narrator that kids can identify with in one way or another. Franklin is insecure, lonely, and smart. The relationship between Franklin and his mother (Franklin's father is a sperm donor) is the most heart-wrenching in the book. Both are disappointed with one another in some way. Franklin's mother wants him to be more normal, play ball, etc. and Franklin wishes that his mother would undersatand and appreciate him. "At this stage of my life, it might be nice to have a decent friend, I thought, mentally crossing my mother off the list." Franklin's mother has many great qualities, but she is not the perfect mother to Franklin. Franklin is not the "perfect" son to her. I feel like this issue was resolved in the book in a realistic way (Franklin and his mother understand each other a little better) without either character being the hero or the villain. I am a Children's Librarian and I will definitely recommend this book to my mid-grade patrons.

Franklin Delano Donuthead has a problem or two --- his name, for starters. He also worries constantly about his own health and safety. One side of his body is growing faster than the other. It's less than an inch, yet Franklin measures every day. He memorizes the probabilities of his death in different ways --- car accidents, drowning, etc. --- and is on first-name terms with Gloria, the chief statistician for the National Safety Department. He calls her frequently.Franklin's concerns never stop: he stresses over girls and ponders the possibility of his mother finding a husband. She points out that she is hampered by his habit of interviewing her dates and handing them medical questionnaires.New kid Sarah Kervick slouches into Franklin's ordered and hygienic world. She doesn't brush her hair, has a few brown teeth, and doesn't bother to wear warm clothes or mask her attitude. He hasn't known Sarah ten minutes before she's socking the school bully. Franklin's teacher assigns him to help Sarah adjust to her new school. Soon, Sarah and Franklin's mother become friends, and his mom even hires Sarah to help teach Franklin to play baseball.Before Franklin can say "please wash your hands before touching me," he is involved with "rude, law-breaking and violent" Sarah. He is disgusted with this state of affairs. However, Franklin soon discovers a hidden side to Sarah. Her dreams, abilities and home life challenge his opinion of her. Sarah's life makes him view his own problems in a new light.Franklin tells his story so humorously that his self-centeredness is quirky rather than obnoxious. The comic tone is balanced by a few surprisingly sad moments. The conclusion, demonstrating how Franklin has changed, is hilarious yet sweet.Anyone hungry for a helping of belly laughs plus a tender side dish of unexpected friendship should find DONUTHEAD a tasty read. --- Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon (...)

The main character is neurotic and quirky as heck, but he really grew on me (in a good way). The secondary characters are well-developed, showing both sweetness and flaws. I found myself rooting for everyone. In this original and funny novel, a hypochondriac boy, his baseball-loving mom, and a Washington Bureaucrat a long-distance phone call away work together to change the life of a tough-as-nails girl. You'll definitely laugh, and you may also cry.This mom, along with her ten-year-old daughter, really enjoyed the book.