Don Lemna

This sequel to "When the Sergeant Comes Marching Home" is almost as funny as the first book. (When Pat gets to finally try out Don's archery set, it is definitely as funny as the first book.) We experience a year in the life of Don as he makes his way through sixth grade in a tiny town in Montana. He begins the year by getting knocked out by a baseball, and vowing never to play baseball again. So he tries other things... archery, hockey, skiing, all with varying degrees of success or failure. Much of the humor is in the dry wit writing style Lemna uses. I am so reminded of adult Ralphie's narration of the movie "A Christmas Story" that I sometimes find myself hearing that voice in my head as a read. Same type of story in a way, and the same type of narration. The only drawback was the lack of a definite end to the book. It just ends with another story, and doesn't feel like it's wrapping things up particularly. (In fact, it would have ended more decicively if the final story had just been left off entirely.)… (meer)

A hilarious, episodic book about a boy whose family moves from town to way out in the country after his father comes home from World War II. Donald doesn't want to leave town, and resolves almost immediately to save his money so he can run away to Hollywood, as soon as he can manage to save up nine dollars.
The book is told in first person, but unlike most YA books, it doesn't feel like a child is telling the tale. It feels like an adult telling the tale of his growing up. It is absolutely on the same plane with the popular movie, "A Christmas Story." It is told so much in that vein that I often could hear the narrator of that film talking in my head as I read. It is filled with dry humor and lines like these: "Mother did not approve of our climbing to the top of the big tree. In fact, she was generally opposed to any kind of fun that put our lives at risk."
I frequently found myself both laughing out loud, and pausing to read a passage out loud. This is a book that begs to be read aloud.… (meer)

http://shawjonathan.wordpress.com/2012/05/23/don-lemna-out-in-left-field/

It's 1947 and Don – I mean the character, not the author, though there are surely a number of overlaps between the two – is 11. He and his family are still living an a farm, still scrimping and making do, still – in Don's case – yearning for such luxuries as a bow and arrows, or skates that fit, or a new hockey stick. Don is an eternal optimist, forever hatching plans to raise money, to shore up his reputation at school, to persuade relatives to come to his rescue. His hopes are dashed, his plans go awry, he is plunged into deep misery – but never into despair. Meanwhile, his brother Pat, one of the most beguiling little brothers in literature, manages with more wisdom and less turmoil (though he is responsible for at least one major explosion).

I laughed out loud many times. Any Australian children's booksellers happening to read this: do consider getting hold of it.… (meer)