THE BIG ONE-OH

Charley is about to turn the big one-oh and wants to have a birthday party in celebration. However, he runs into a few snags along the way. First, a party needs a theme. Second, a party needs fun activities. Most important, a party requires friends, something that Charley does not really have. However, Charley is nothing if not resourceful and sets about accomplishing his goals in a methodical if unorthodox way. He ends up with an unlikely group of kids at his house and a lousy party until his next-door-neighbor/movie-special-effects whiz Garry takes Charley’s “scary party” theme to a new level of terror. In fact, the party is so successful that the class bully needs a fresh pair of underwear, and Charley has made a bunch of friends. Actor/songwriter Pitchford’s debut for kids is sure to be a big hit with readers. His characters are realistic, situations funny and the exaggerated plot somehow believable. For those who want to be grossed out and especially for reluctant readers, this succeeds brilliantly. (Fiction. 10-13)