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The Amazing Life of Birds: The Twenty Day Puberty Journal of Duane Homer Leech (Tales to Tickle the Funnybone #6)
by
Gary Paulsen
Zit monster.
Puberty Werewolf.
Potty Boy.
Doo Doo Rules!
I’m Duane. Duane Homer Leech. Don’t ask.
I’m 12. And one week. What I want to know is, where is this whole puberty thing going? So far it’s just something put on earth to destroy me.
And I don’t have a clue what’s coming next.
From the Hardcover edition.
Puberty Werewolf.
Potty Boy.
Doo Doo Rules!
I’m Duane. Duane Homer Leech. Don’t ask.
I’m 12. And one week. What I want to know is, where is this whole puberty thing going? So far it’s just something put on earth to destroy me.
And I don’t have a clue what’s coming next.
From the Hardcover edition.
Paperback, 160 pages
Published
June 10th 2008
by Yearling
(first published June 13th 2006)
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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I was pretty hesitant to read a Gary Paulsen book before I picked up "The Amazing Life of Birds", but I found Paulsen to be a creative and witty writer and quite enjoyable to read. This book details the pubescent crisis of Duane, a twelve year-old. Once Duane starts to notice the signs of his puberty, his whole world seems to come crashing down. His little mistakes in class turn into school-wide scandals. With few allies, Duane has to work through the trials of early puberty, inclu...more
I absolutely loved this book! It was funny, but also real. The story follows a boy who is 12 years and one week old. He is just starting to go through puberty and it is somewhat of a nightmare for him (but he tells it in such a funny way!).
He starts to worry about how he looks to girls. He has a cowlick in the back of his head, so he decides to cut it off because hair spray won't keep it down. Right as he is cutting, his older sister yells at him, startling him into cutting a small ...more
He starts to worry about how he looks to girls. He has a cowlick in the back of his head, so he decides to cut it off because hair spray won't keep it down. Right as he is cutting, his older sister yells at him, startling him into cutting a small ...more
This was a young adult semi-realist humorous fiction novel targeted at young teenage boys. I'm still pretty confused about why this book was marketed to teenagers, since the protagonist was a 12-year-old boy going through puberty; I personally would thus have marketed it to 12-year-old boys, not 13+-year-old boys, except for those who were going through puberty really late. The book was the diary of a boy which the unfortunate name of Duane Homer Leech and who is going through puberty and has ...more
Poor Duane Homer Leech. Not only was he saddled with a dweeb-y name, but he just got hit with puberty. Now he sees girls body parts everywhere, zits are popping up all over his body, and he can't seem to keep from tripping. Oh, and every time he tries to talk to Amber or Rachel he either can't get a word out or he can't stop them from coming.
This was a very funny take on puberty. I picked up the book to put in a boys display in the library and blew through it in about an hour, laugh...more
This was a very funny take on puberty. I picked up the book to put in a boys display in the library and blew through it in about an hour, laugh...more
It's not Hatchet!
OK, I know there are people who like Hatchet, but I was thrilled when I realized a couple of years ago that Gary Paulsen also writes books in which the protagonist isn't in immediate danger of freezing or starving to death. This book is slim, but it's the perfect length to chronicle the hilarious experiences of pre-teen Duane (preferred nickname: Duey; actual nickname: Doodoo). He trips; he spills stuff; his hair won't do anything he wants it to. It's a schadenfreude...more
OK, I know there are people who like Hatchet, but I was thrilled when I realized a couple of years ago that Gary Paulsen also writes books in which the protagonist isn't in immediate danger of freezing or starving to death. This book is slim, but it's the perfect length to chronicle the hilarious experiences of pre-teen Duane (preferred nickname: Duey; actual nickname: Doodoo). He trips; he spills stuff; his hair won't do anything he wants it to. It's a schadenfreude...more
This book was hilarious. The only other book that I have read by Gary Paulsen is Hatchet which is a lot more serious than this book. Paulsen takes an awkward stage in a young mans life and pulls put the humor to lighten up such an uncomfortable subject. While i am not a boy and therefore have not been on this side of pubescence before and I think Paulsen captures the feeling of changing, fitting in, and growing up. The Amazing Life of Birds chronicles the pubescent changes of a young Duane Homer...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Reviewed by Sally Kruger aka "Readingjunky" for TeensReadToo.com
As a Gary Paulsen fan, I'm always on the lookout for his latest. When I found this slim volume, I at first thought I'd share it with the sixth or seventh grade teachers in my building. But then I read it, and I'll be honest, when I find one this good, I don't share. I'm really glad I kept it to myself because my 8th-grade students loved it.
Duane Homer Leech is twelve and suffers from the onset of p...more
As a Gary Paulsen fan, I'm always on the lookout for his latest. When I found this slim volume, I at first thought I'd share it with the sixth or seventh grade teachers in my building. But then I read it, and I'll be honest, when I find one this good, I don't share. I'm really glad I kept it to myself because my 8th-grade students loved it.
Duane Homer Leech is twelve and suffers from the onset of p...more
Paulsen makes it look effortless to write of a young boy's rapid ascension into the awesome and terrifying swells of the hormonal tide. It cannot be so. Using humour and metaphor, he captures the essence of puberty in all it's gawky and uncertain glory - adult readers will get a kick out of reminiscing. Will teen readers also appreciate it's honesty, and take heart from the courage Duane finally musters? Most likely, and it's definitely a gem for those who have flown the nest.
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Duane is a normal kid and is going through puberty.His sister, Karen likes to get him in trouble and like to make fun of him. His parents understand what Duane is going through and deeply care about him. Duane's biggest problem during puberty are the zits. He gains a lot of zits and puts band-aids on them. He has had many incidents at school such as hiting a girl by accident with a volleyball and stabbing her with his hair. Duane is embarrased, but is ready to redeem himself.
I generally love Gary Paulsen's books. However, I have to say that I was disappointed with this one. It made puberty seem like it revolved solely around being clumsy, having pimples, and not being able to talk to girls. It seemed a bit confusing to me, and I felt its ending was weak as well.
Classic Gary Paulsen, this short young adult novelette takes readers on the fast-paced, rocky road journey called puberty. Written as a journal, Paulsen reminds us all that being a teenager is pretty sour, but with some effort you can make lemonade out of lemons. Excellent read for kids and parents alike.
This title is somewhere between 4th and 8th grade. Gary Paulsen hits the nail on the head with this one, describing the craziness of boy puberty. We have it in our juvenile collection. I'm not sure any boy would ever check it out, but moms might just to be able to laugh about it.
The fictional Duane has a way with words. It was refreshing to see the world through an adolescent male's eyes. I mean, who would ever guess that that's how they think??? "Elbow" has taken on a whole new meaning thanks to Gary Paulsen.
Pam
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Every Sixth Grade Boy!
Shelves:
middle-school,
puberty
Must hand this book to every middle-school aged boy going through puberty. Hilarious, yet realistic, diary of a boy's experience with many of life's bizarre changes.
Paulsen writes boy-speak brilliantly!
Paulsen writes boy-speak brilliantly!
Very short, entertaining, slightly over-the-top read about a boy dealing with zits, girls and lack of coordination while dealing with a heightened state of arousal. Students would love it.
More about the emotional side of puberty rather than the actual physical changes. Ok even for the younger readers.
Genres/Categories: puberty, humor
The title says it all. This book is a hilarious journal about Duane's awful experiences when he first begins going through puberty. He begins to get pimples and think that girls aren't the most awful thing on earth. Luckily he has a friend he can confide in, even though he can't confide in his family about how awful his life is. This book is funny to people of all ages, but I found it to be especially hilarious because of the dramatic irony surrou...more
The title says it all. This book is a hilarious journal about Duane's awful experiences when he first begins going through puberty. He begins to get pimples and think that girls aren't the most awful thing on earth. Luckily he has a friend he can confide in, even though he can't confide in his family about how awful his life is. This book is funny to people of all ages, but I found it to be especially hilarious because of the dramatic irony surrou...more
It was interesting to read Duane's feelings. In some parts it was complicated, but it was a great book.
A minor work by a pretty major author. I was hoping for more from this--something to give to about-to-be-adolescent boys other than Then Again, Maybe I Won't. Instead, the aspects of puberty that this book focuses on are entirely pimples and poor coordination, with some glossed-over "I think about girls" sentences here and there.
Note to authors: read Judy Blume. Understand how helpful she is for girls, in her frank handling of periods, physical development, and even ma...more
Note to authors: read Judy Blume. Understand how helpful she is for girls, in her frank handling of periods, physical development, and even ma...more
very funny
Gary Paulsen's dedication sums it up: "To my son, James, in gratitude. Having missed my own puberty, because I lived through it, watching you go through yours provided a wealth of research material. Thank you." A brief twenty days in the life of puberty-stricken Duane. Funny, poignant and quite informative - not having grown up with any brothers, this was a bit of an eye-opener!
It should be stated that I kind of hate Gary Paulsen. They (you know "Them") made me read a couple of books by him and frankly survivalist lit (sans humor) really isn't my thing. This is a survivalist book in a sense, but not about the wilderness, it's about puberty. And it's a stitch. See, that humor thing helps. I will force my nephew to read this.
There are definite sweet moments in this book. It could easily be made into a fantastic and much-needed movie for pre-teen boys. Sadly, there are a few passages that were kind of clunky and had me thinking, "Huh?" Otherwise, Paulsen does a great job of portraying a pimply, clumsy adolescent.
This is a very funny quick read about a 12 year old guy named Duane Homer Leech. Puberty is not kind to Duane; it makes him stutter in front of girls, trip over his shoelaces, and create spectacular catastrophes at school—each one funnier than the last.
This is kind of an immature book that provides a good laugh for boys just hitting puberty. Although childish and somewhat bland, its not too bad. I would recommend this to no one. IF you just happen to look for a book and come across this one, try it out.
Donia
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
all parents and teachers
Recommended to Donia by:
Donna Y
Tender and hilarious view of puberty from the journal of a growing boy. You can't help but remember your worst days of middle school when nothing ever went right.
Written by a man from the perspective of a twelve-year-old with the self-awareness of an adult. Still, Gary Paulsen is a good writer.
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Although he was never a dedicated student, Paulsen developed a passion for reading at an early age. After a librarian gave him a book to read--along with his own library card--he was hooked. He began spending hours alone in the basement of his apartment building, reading one book after another.
Running away from home at the age of 14 and traveling with a carnival, Paulsen acquired a ta...more
More about Gary Paulsen...
Running away from home at the age of 14 and traveling with a carnival, Paulsen acquired a ta...more
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