The Man in the Ceiling (Michael Di Capua Books)

The Man in the Ceiling, by Jules Feiffer Review by Jack Humsey This story is about a boy named Jimmy, who thinks he is a failure. Jimmy is eleven years old, and is very quiet and artistic. He mostly draws comics like the ones in comic books. He finds the true meaning of effort and confidence through his ambition to become a famous cartoonist. Jimmy's family is very odd in many ways. His dad is all about business and his mom, like Jimmy, is an artist. But they both don't understand why Jimmy's hobby and ambition is drawing cartoons. His biggest fans are his younger and older sisters. But his older sister pushes him around and is angry all the time. I think the strengths of the book are the transitions. They are very dramatic. The characters go from loneliness to happiness. I think transitions are important in books because they help the reader get the feeling of the settings and people. It was hard for me to choose something to criticize. But if I had to choose, I would change the father's personality. At the beginning of the book he wasn't interested in his son's work at all, but after the success of the weird uncle's play, the father realized that his son is very unique. That didn't entirely make sense to me. This book would help some readers build their own confidence. It would be good for people who are artistic and imaginative, people who prefer to work alone. People who are lonely would relate to this book.

He's bad at sports and not much better at school, but Jimmy sure can draw terrific cartoons. And his dream, like that of his Uncle Lester, who writes flop Broadway musicals'is to be recognized for what he loves doing most.

I originally read "The Man in the Ceiling" in the fourth grade and I really didn't understand it, but then in the sixth grade I read it again, and now, as the title of the review mentions, it's my favorite book ever. I am now sixteen years old and I'm still reading it over and over again. The story deals with a young boy who struggles with inadequacy and failure. His main aspiration is to become a cartoonist, but he recieves little support from anyone. His father, a bitter overworked man, wishes Jimmy (the boy) would play sports rather than make comics, and because of this, finds it hard to express love toward his son. His sisters nag him and torment him daily and his mother has little to do with what goes with him. Jimmy's uncle, a failure himself, tells Jimmy to keep at it, and he'll eventually make it, but by the end of the story, the uncle himself is the one who is broken (the not the very end, but it's to good to give away.) Not so fast, this story isn't as depressing as I've made it out to be. It's actually very witty and funny and has a dark sense of humor. Comics Jimmy draws are included through out the story and it is interesting to see how Jimmy interprets events and his surroundings into his art. Very funny, but very sad, and with a wonderful ending. What every book should be, regardless of the reading level.

My husband and I drove our son to college and on the 5-hour ride home, I read the entire book to my husband. We loved it! My younger son a cartoonist and I found so much truth in the book. I suspect, also, that this book is also somewhat autobiographical; it hits the mark so well. I recommend it to anyone.

A wonderful book with a well-realized and very funny family. Feiffer absolutely captures many confusing emotions and situations that can arise when you're a kid and that you remember when you're a grown-up. And seriously, I turned to the last page, cried, and then returned right to the beginning again.