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Gary Paulsen

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The Boy Who Owned The School Paperback – October 1, 1991

by Gary Paulsen (Author)

4.4 19 ratings

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Jacob Freisten's goal in life is to go about unnoticed. He's perfect at gliding past the jocks' lockers and sneaking into his English class. That was, until now. If Jacob wants to pass English, he must work for extra credit on the stage crew of the school production of The Wizard of Oz.

Jacob, who is usually in a fog anyway, has the the job of running the fog machine. The problem is that Maria Tresser, the girl of his dreams, is cast as the Wicked Witch. Jacob's already made a fool of himself in front of Maria. How can he face her again?

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

"Jacob is a hero to cheer for."--Booklist

"A memorably funny yet touching farce."--Kirkus Reviews, pointered review.

From the Inside Flap

Jacob Freisten's goal in life is to go about unnoticed. He's perfect at gliding past the jocks' lockers and sneaking into his English class. That was, until now. If Jacob wants to pass English, he must work for extra credit on the stage crew of the school production of The Wizard of Oz.

Jacob, who is usually in a fog anyway, has the the job of running the fog machine. The problem is that Maria Tresser, the girl of his dreams, is cast as the Wicked Witch. Jacob's already made a fool of himself in front of Maria. How can he face her again?

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Yearling; Reprint edition (October 1, 1991)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 96 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0440405246
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0440405245
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 8 - 12 years
Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 980L
Grade level ‏ : ‎ 3 - 7
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.4 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.25 x 0.5 x 7.5 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #1,680,486 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #50,920 in Children's Literature (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.4 19 ratings

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Gary Paulsen

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Gary Paulsen is one of the most honored writers of contemporary literature for young readers. He has written more than one hundred book for adults and young readers, and is the author of three Newberry Honor titles: Dogsong, Hatchet, and The Winter Room. He divides his time among Alaska, New Mexico, Minnesota, and the Pacific.

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Plmcrzy

Just what you'd want it to be.

Reviewed in the United States on September 6, 2014

Verified Purchase

This was a great audio of the book. It followed it exactly. I use this as a read aloud book in the beginning of the school year, and the recording is split by chapter, which made it perfect for stopping and analyzing the text.

Reviewed in the United States on October 5, 2018

Its good

Interesting Book- kids will love it

Reviewed in the United States on December 29, 2014

Really interesting book.

Reviewed in the United States on June 16, 2003

It's been a while since I read this, but I can remember reading it, and then rereading it, and then reading it again. This book is a one-afternoon book. You sit down and start reading, and then you finish the book without getting up. The main charachter is a reclusive boy who avoids other people, which is hard because he goes to school. You hear a lot about his popular model-in-training sister, and the lady who poured warm oil...
Pretty funny and an engaging read. Kind of corny in spots though.
Trevor

Helpful

Matt Hetling

Hatchet was miles better

Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2005

Jacob is the high school student that we all remember, and sympathize with to some extent: the social misfit who is beneath the quirky geek clique; a kid who is so socially inept that he never speaks to anyone, and indeed spends most of his time and energy figuring out how to avoid conversation altogether.

The book follows Jacob as he maneuvers his way through a distant home life and a harrowing school life. One of the most beautiful girls in school takes note of him when he is assigned to operate the fog machine in the school play, but he is so smitten with her that his usual social awkwardness devolves into a tongue-tied panic.

The Good and the Bad:

I liked the character of Jacob, and I certainly remember a student or two in school who he reminds me of. The book does a good job of fleshing out that anonymous character, and giving us reasons that contribute to that type of personality. The writing is also engaging and fun, with funny descriptive metaphors that are sure to capture the imagination of many children. But I rate the book fairly low because it is presented as a realistic story, but many of the scenes are so unrealistic as to seem surreal, or at least borrowed from a low-budget made-for-tv comedy about the horrors of high school (thought the characters seemed more junior-highish to me). For example, when Jacob accidentally stumbles into a school bully, the bully promptly stuffs him into a locker without so much as a word. There are no pop culture references, no shades of nuance in most of the characters, and a series of stereotypes about the jocks who seem to make up the majority of Jacob's classmates. Also straining belief was Jacob's over-the-top clumsiness, which often left him sprawling around like a clown in front of a crowd of peers. Nevertheless, the book is a quick and enjoyable read, and may give students a moment of reflection about their near-invisible classmates. The socially awkward student himself, however, is not likely to gain much in the way of constructive advice, as the solution to Jacob's problems lie in the persistence of a beautiful girl who is willing to put aside all of the social hierarchy because she wants to date Jacob.

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