I Am Fartacus

February 6, 2017
“When you are a bald sixth grader with a little bit of a Polish accent, blending in isn’t an option.” Maciek Trzebiatowski, aka Chub, has been an outcast since second grade, following an incident involving lice killer that left Chub without hair and led his pal Archer to dump him as a friend. When Archer runs for student body president, Chub knows that he will use his power to make Chub’s life miserable. So Chub, sidekick Moby, and an eventual cadre of supporters set out to take down Archer once and for all. Debut author Maciejewski gives Chub colorful commentary (“I have about as much interest in drama club as I do in helping my mom shop for bras”) that, along with his glum backstory and details about being the son of Polish immigrants, makes him a highly sympathetic narrator. Chub learns a few things about himself, being a real friend, and the person he’d like to be in this humorous and touching coming-of-age story. Ages 9–13. Agent: Sarah Davies, Greenhouse Literary.

March 1, 2017

Gr 5-7-Chub, 11, is far from popular. His former best friend, Arch, is perfect in all the ways Chub is not. When Arch becomes class president and threatens to shut down nonathletic after-school activities, Chub recruits a cadre of nerds to spring into action and defend the unpopular. Despite his frequent high jinks, Chub is able to stay out of trouble by blackmailing his principal, Mr. Mayer, whom he caught playing online poker-a thread that develops into a crucial plot point. This title provides a satisfying narrative filled with twists. True to the book's title, fart and bathroom jokes permeate the caper. Diabolical triplets provide regular toilet clogs as distractions, and stereotypical misfits populate the character list, including a boy named Moby Dick and a girl whose main occupation seems to be irritating boys. Readers who appreciate crudeness will enjoy this 300-page guide to overthrowing the middle school aristocracy, but beware that some character descriptions evoke casual misogyny and transphobia. VERDICT A secondary selection for "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" fans looking for something a bit more complex.-Deidre Winterhalter, Niles Public Library, IL

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2017
Grades 4-7 Could one say a fart is the basis of a friendship? Well, Chub can. It's how he became friends with Moby, whoalong with Shelby, the McQueen triplets, and Sizzleris helping Chub take down Alanmoore Middle School's golden boy, Archer. This friend-turned-enemy is essentially everything Chub is not: tall, smugly suave, and popular. It then comes as no surprise that Chub is short, bald, and a trickster. While Archer has duped everyone into thinking he's a cool kid, Chub knows something is up and is determined to expose Archer for who he truly is. Chub's revenge cadre hits pay dirt when they learn that Archer is entangled in an illegal poker ring and heavily indebted to its cheating 18-year-old leader. But when they realize that more is on the line than Archer's middle-school rep, Chub has to decide whether vengeance is really the right course of action. Maciejewski's humorous debut features themes of honesty and humor, as well as well-developed characters, making this sixth-grade drama a welcome addition to the fiction shelves.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)