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Summary
Summary
A clever, bluesy riff on middle-kid angst
Lee has the low-down, big-frown, sulkin?-all-aroundtown blues. His older brother gets all the big-kid privileges, and no one expects his little sister to do anything but be cute. And sometimes his family even leaves him behind! But when Lee breaks out his guitar and finally makes his voice be heard, he draws a big crowd. It turns out lots and lots of people share his middle-kid pain'and he loves how being stuck in the middle is making him the center of attention.
Reviews (3)
School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 2-What middle children haven't sung the blues about their place in the family hierarchy? Lee is stuck between his older brother and cute little sister. There's just not much to do in between, even when the family goes to the fair. He's too young to hang out with his brother, too old for the things his sister wants to do. He's definitely in a sulk. But then he picks up his guitar and begins to sing: "I've got thelow-down,/big-frown/sulkin'-all-around-town/bummed-out/mid-kid blues." Soon a crowd gathers, and Lee is the center of attention. His parents and passersby join in, saying that they are middle children themselves, and admit that they have forgotten how rough that can be. Catrow's trademark pencil and watercolor illustrations are perfect for this story. Heads are oversized, and facial expressions exaggerated. The colorful illustrations dance all over the pages. This book is a winner.-Ieva Bates, Ann Arbor District Library, MI (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
(Primary) "Mid-Kid" Lee might not mind being called a hound dog -- at least it would mean he was getting attention. "I've got the middle-child blues. / I feel forgotten and confused. / That's right, the middle-child blues. / And I am REALLY not amused." Catrow's irreverent day-glo caricatures are in tune with Crow's catchy song of woe, which enumerates injustices such as Lee not being allowed to order the "Big Bun" fast-food burger like his older brother, but also not receiving a toy in his meal like his baby sister; and, at the amusement park, being too big for the little kid rides, but not big enough for the go-karts. The view from the center improves after pompadoured Lee picks up his guitar (and attracts a crowd of, among others, fellow middle children). No one can ignore a rock star, even one with "middle-sized shoes," blue suede or otherwise. From HORN BOOK, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
Being stuck in between a big brother and a younger sister has put Lee in touch with the spirit of the blues. A family trip to the amusement park provides a vivid reminder of why being the middle child can be so bad. Their day begins with Lee, guitar in backpack and sporting a perfectly coiffed pompadour, being left in the driveway. Even getting lunch is no fun: "Ray can order a 'Big Bun,' / and Kate's meal has a toy. / I get a plain cheeseburger / since I'm just the middle boy." Catrow's vibrant palette and frenetic style aptly depict this active family and their environs. His keen sense of proportion and angle keeps a scowling Lee at the center of the double-page spreads of bustling crowds and park rides. A series of humiliations ensues until the blues cannot be restrained. Lee breaks into his song of woe that attracts a crowd of birth-order misfits, finally singing his way to a realization that "I'm a kid like no other." This ode to all the "mid-kids" demands to be read aloud accompanied by plenty of foot tapping and grooving. (Picture book. 5-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.