Product Description

Lennie is addicted to television. Even reruns are more exciting than real life, and Lennie likes to pretend he's the one experiencing the drama. But Lennie's daydreams lead him into a real situation that could cost him his life-and suddenly he's in trouble more terrifying and dangerous than anything he's ever seen on TV. "Byars infuses the story with her special magic. Lennie is a likable, funny, moving, and always entertaining character." -Publishers Weekly

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #707971 in Books
• Published on: 1998-01-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 128 pages

From Publishers Weekly
A daydreaming television addict encounters the real world in this comic novel by a Newbery Medalist. "Byars infuses the story with her own special magic," said PW. Ages 8-12.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Customer Reviews

Loved it, still love it...
What a shame this book has gotten some bad reviews here--it happens to be one of my favorites!

I first read it at age 10 or so, and really liked it then. In fact, I kept my copy all these years (I'm now way more than 10!), and it sits on my shelf with other childhood "classics."

I appreciate the characterization of Lennie, a lonely boy who wishes he were on his favorite TV shows. His constant daydreaming is causing him problems at school, and his dangerous hobby of breaking into unoccupied summer cottages near his home leads to a life-threatening encounter with a snake. But the plot (boy meets snake) isn't really the issue here--this book is really a character study. Lennie is a good kid--well-meaning, but somewhat lazy. As a kid, I felt drawn to his predicament. Perhaps you will, too.

Does Lennie learn anything in The TV Kid? Yes (and it's not "too much TV is bad for you"). I think the other reviewers here have missed the point (it's not about the TV, people!). AND I think Byars' book is top-notch writing. Funny, touching, and exciting, too! Give this one a chance--it deserves it!

Interesting Psychological Study
The TV Kid uses discussion of tv-watching and other lonely activities (including housebreaking and falling asleep in someone else's bed!) to indicate the difficulties of not having the ideal American Dream family and home. Our hero has to learn to appreciate what he has and who he is. And he does. But he apparently has to get bitten by a snake first. Not a brilliantly constructed narrative, but a good case study of the complexities of today's families.

Unforgettable
I read this book when I was a child and loved it then. For 30 years I have remembered the part about the mother cutting open the cocoon too soon, and have often thought about it. I just read this book to my 7-yr-old son and he enjoyed it just as much as I did. I wondered if the emphasis on TV jingles might confuse my son, but I guess the concept of advertising is a pretty easy one to grasp even if those particular advertisements were unfamiliar to him. I can't understand why this particular book is one of the author's least popular, because the character of Lennie is so likeable and so easy to relate to. The life-changing event Lennie experiences (snake bite) is the pivotal incident he uses to help redefine himself, and some readers seemed to object to this - and yet this is what kids do. They grow up and draw from their experiences to help them focus. I found the book a pleasure to read 30 years ago and it still is today.