reply

Now that Sukkot is over, I can get started.

First, happy belated birthday GK! We are 4 days (and some years) apart!

Second, while Raymond Jardine had to wait to book 104 to get a GK dedication, I got mine even before I was born! I want to go Home is dedicated to those who know the difference between “fun” and “fun”. That describes me well. (@GK, did you have  a specific person in mind when you wrote the dedication?)

I am going to focus on parts that Raymond and Jade didn’t focus on.

Chapter 1: Gordon Korman did not like Guidance Departments growing up. This is a theme that will be repeated in Twinkie Squad. (One wonders why). 

I really feel for Rudy’s parents. A whole book can be written on them. They clearly are trying hard, but are having a difficult time raising their son.

I laughed at loud how Mr. Warden (who clearly is a close relative of Mr. Wizzle) completely ignores the whole letter until the description of camp. How oblivious can one get?

Rudy appears glum here. This is the last appearance of his non-poker face expression we will get for a while, and it reflects his true feelings. I feel bad for him, he is good at everything, which means no one sees him for who he is, just for what they can get out of him. The internal monologue here is also the last time in the book we will see what he really thinks until he laughs in the ending.

Rudy is saying the truth: What comes before tadpole? A full fledged frog who can swim great…

The sony walkman here is updated in later editions to a cd player (something I am firmly against). I suspect that if they keep doing this, they’ll need to drastically update the book to include smartphone confiscations and perhaps a chapter on Rudy and Mike trying to steal their phones. Perhaps some books shouldn’t be updated. 

The cabin 13 boys have Charlie Brown’s Peanut’s teams baseball playing skills. I don’t know if it was a GK influence, but I always think of it.
https://www.gocomics.com/peanuts/1981/04/02