Author: Tina L. Peterson
Illustrator: Xavier Bonet
© Date: 2016
Publisher: Stone Arch Books
Pages: 215
Chapters: Yes
Illustrations: No, just one at the start of the first chapter
Publisher Recommended Age: 8-11
Bonus Activities at End of Book: No
Summary from Book: Oscar Schmidt is a klutz and gravity is his nemesis — it pulls him down, trips him up, and helps the neighborhood bullies make his life all-around awful. But when Oscar finds an abandoned train caboose one day after school, everything changes. Inside, he discovers a magical potion: Dr. Oopsie’s Amazing Gravity Repellent. Along with his best friend, Asha, Oscar learns what happens when he defies the laws of nature. But when the caboose comes under attack from a group of bullies, Oscar’s reaction puts his worst enemy in serious danger. Can Oscar own up to his actions and learn how to stand up for himself before time runs out?
Page Pig Thoughts: This was a decent read about a clumsy boy who stumbles into a way to get relief from his nemesis, gravity. Many of my questions were left unanswered at the end of the book, so I was surprised that there isn’t a sequel. That being said, the story moves along well enough to keep you wondering where it is going. Overall, I felt that the story could have been a bit more than it was and wished for a little more detail or ideas in certain parts.
I was happy that Oscar finds a way to navigate his way through life without being dependent on gravity repellent, and I appreciated the concept of imagining what life could be like if we could defy the constant force of gravity in our lives. I also like the open ended pondering of what else could be in Dr. Oopsie’s caboose, and I hope to hear what Page Pup thinks might be in there.
Family Unit: Oscar (third grader) lives at home with his older sister, Gretchen (middle school), mother, and father. Oscar’s best friend, Asha, lives with her mother and father.
Conflict/Social Issues:
- Oscar is rather clumsy and constantly embarrassed by the attention he receives for dropping things, knocking into things, tripping, and generally bumbling.
- Oscar and Asha are afraid of the middle school bully, Zach, and his friends that threaten them.
Positive Items:
- Oscar and Asha balance each other out. Oscar can be quick to jump into things, while Asha thinks things through before deciding.
- Asha helps Oscar be the better person and help Zach the bully.
- Oscar finds his self confidence to stand up to bullies.
- Oscar finds his confidence, which helps him stand more solidly on his own two feet and not trip over them so much.
Items of Interest:
- Oscar finds a caboose in the woods and decides to loosen the rusty door latch to get inside. He gets Asha to pick the lock on a display case so he can take out the bottles of gravity repellent.
- Gretchen is supposed to be watching Oscar after school, but she is usually wrapped up in her own stuff, like her cell phone.
- Asha stops Oscar from carelessly creating problems for himself while using the gravity repellent. Oscar has grand ideas for himself, but doesn’t always think things through. Asha, however, sees the potential issues with floating around untethered outside.
- Asha falls out of the big tree in Oscar’s yard. Fortunately, she only breaks her leg. Asha and Oscar don’t want anyone to know about the gravity repellent, so they both lie to their parents and everyone eles about how they climbed the tree.
- Oscar and Asha lie to parents again when they want to return to the caboose and make sure that the bullies haven’t been messing with it. They tell Asha’s parents that they are going to the library. Asha does leave the adventure a little early so that she can stop at the library to cover their tracks.
- Oscar gets angry when he sees Zach, the bully, breaking into the caboose. He dumps a bottle of gravity repellent on Zach, which makes him float away. Oscar reluctantly goes to find him, Asha really has to convince him that he is better than the bully that would have left him if the tables were turned. Oscar finds Zach in a tree with an injured foot. Zach had clearly been crying. Oscar helps Zach out of the tree and to the hospital to have his foot examined.
- After helping Zach, Oscar has more courage. When Oscar and Asha are walking to school, they see Zach and his friends up to their usual antics. One of Zach’s friends threatens Oscar, Zach looks the other way. Oscar stands up to the bully and says no. Zach then says “later” to Oscar as he walks off with Asha.
- At the end of the story, Oscar is not having clumsy moments like he used to.