Bo and Mzzz Mad

by Sid Fleischman, Jonathan Hunt (Illustrator)

When Bo Gamage is orphaned, he unexpectedly finds himself amidst the Martinka clan, with whom his family has been feuding for years, and as sparks and barbed insults fly between them, an encounter with two bandits, Wizard of Oz and Hildy, shows them that if they all work together, they might be able to follow their dreams.

112 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

As a children's book author Sid Fleischman felt a special obligation to his readers. "The books we enjoy as children stay with us forever -- they have a special impact. Paragraph after paragraph and page after page, the author must deliver his or her best work." With almost 60 books to his credit, some of which have been made into motion pictures, Sid Fleischman can be assured that his work will make a special impact.

Sid Fleischman wrote his books at a huge table cluttered with projects: story ideas, library books, research, letters, notes, pens, pencils, and a computer. He lived in an old-fashioned, two-story house full of creaks and character, and enjoys hearing the sound of the nearby Pacific Ocean.

Fleischman passed away after a battle with cancer on March 17, 2010, the day after his ninetieth birthday.

He was the father of Newbery Medal winning writer and poet Paul Fleischman, author of Joyful Noise; they are the only father and son to receive Newbery awards.

Reviews

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars I liked this best of the several Sid Fleischman titles I’ve read in the past year. The downside to it being such a short book is it did feel like it could be the beginning of a longer story, that it could have been a book two or three times as long and continued past the few days covered into how Bo adapts to his new life, becomes friends with Madeleine, gets to know the other 7 kids in the tiny school… But Fleischman managed to come up with a reasonably satisfying ending to his story despite the brevity.

The problem I had with the ending is I didn’t understand why Bo still tried to leave after his relatives let down their prickly personas and befriended him. It seemed strange that he would still try to leave when the only reason he had wanted to leave in the first place was he didn’t feel accepted. Once he felt accepted, there was no need to waste a few pages on him leaving and coming back yet again.

The afterward was fun because we learned that several key plot points were based on real events!

[Norma Shoemaker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good middle school read

[George Crowder · Rating 3 out of 5]

Big Sid Fleschman fan-- By the Great Horn Spoon is such a terrific book-- but I'm afraid this was a lesser effort. Some of his trademark humor redeemed it.

[Jonte · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story B and Mzzz Mad is about a boy name James he is 18 years old and he goes on this road trip. Whole he is on that trip he end up in the middle of the road with a girl name Ceira come to find out they was enemies in middle school every sense than they have not like each other. They both go thought crazy and mystery hotel they learn that its not wroth it to be enemies. I say yes read this book because it shows how dum it is to be enemies over.