Dumbstruck - (Aldo Zelnick Comic Novel) by Karla Oceanak (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Ten-year-old Aldo lives with his family in Colorado. He's not athletic like his older brother; he's not a rock hound like his best friend; and he is none too fond of the outdoors--but that doesn't mean he doesn't have a passion. Aldo is passionate about bacon. Back at school adjusting to life in the 5th grade, Aldo is embarrassed about his artistic abilities. He has always underplayed his creative talent at school; but when he is around his cute new art teacher he suddenly finds himself behaving strangely. He loses the ability to speak when she's around, volunteers to skip recess so he can clean paintbrushes, and finds himself working harder than ever before in a daring attempt to win the school art contest. The humorous plot and lively drawings in this book will captivate both enthusiastic and reluctant young readers who will identify with Aldo's all-too-familiar predicaments.

This fourth installment in an A-to-Z alphabet series features a vocabulary-building glossary of fun and challenging words starting with the letter D, such as debacle, doofus, and defenestrate.

Review Quotes

"This book was a joy to read. The text and illustrations are hilarious. Aldo is such a lovable and fun character! A fabulous pick for anyone, especially reluctant reader boys in elementary or middle school!" --Laura Resau, author, "What the Moon Saw" and "Red Glass," on "Artsy-Fartsy"

"Greg Heffley and Ellie McDoodle, move over--Aldo Zelnick is here!" --Mary Lee Hahn, 4th grade teacher and notable children's books committee chair for the National Council of the Teachers of English

"One of the most remarkable things about these books is the voice of Aldo, which rings true from every page. The hilarious drawings enhance the text with jokes and visual humor that make Aldo's personality pop." --Rebecca McGregor, "Picture Literacy, Inc."

"This is a book that definitely speaks 'kid speak.' The first installment of an A-to-Z series, this is perfect for reluctant readers. It's fun for kids and will be appreciated by parents and teachers for the amusing 'back door' approach to enriching vocabulary. Look out Wimpy Kid!" --Stacy Morris, Katy Budget Books, Kids' Next Winter 2010-2011 nomination

About the Author

Karla Oceanak is the author of "Artsy-Fartsy," "Bogus," and "Cahoots." A public speaker for childhood literacy, she has been a writer and editor for more than 20 years. Kendra Spanjer is an illustrator whose works include "Artsy-Fartsy," " Bogus," and "Cahoots." They both live in Fort Collins, Colorado.