My Buddy, Slug

by Jarrett J. Krosoczka

Book Overview

Alex and Slug are best friends. They do everything together--morning, noon, and night. But does being best friends mean you have to be together every second? Slug seems to think so! Alex tries to get... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0375833420
• ISBN13: 9780375833427
• Release Date: September 2006
• Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
• Length: 40 Pages
• Weight: 1.15 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 8.8" x 11.4"
• Age Range: 4 to 8 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 3

Customer Reviews

A definite hit in my classroom.

Child Pleasing Read ~~~ Recommended ~~~ 5 stars The Review The tale is offered in the first person wherein the reader finds the little boy talking about his friends. 'It used to be Slug, Kevin and me - the unstoppable three.' Before long Kevin moves leaving only Slug and the little boy telling the story. 'And Slug was everywhere I was. Morning, noon and night, on the bus, in art class, at the library. You name it, if I was there, there was Slug as well.' Of course, the inevitable happened. When the narrator could not take anymore total togetherness; he handled the situation in predictable, child like fashion. 'And, I found it was beginning to be too much. Finally it happened, I told my mother exactly how I felt. What I didn't know was that Slug was there in the doorway.' The narrator really wasn't trying to make Slug feel bad, it was just that the little boy needed a some time to himself. And he got time to himself all right. Slug wasn't around much anymore. 'When I did see him Slug hardly spoke, and I didn't like that any more than I did when he was there all the time.' I suppose we have each had a friend who is out of the ordinary. We have had a friend who does now and then, get on our nerves. Or, maybe it is we who is the one who just never knows when to stop, when to go home, or when to do something with another friend. Wanting to spend too much time together is a problem that each of us will likely face sooner or later. Adults, generally have learned how to deal with clinging friends in such a way that will help us retain the friendship and allow us some time for ourselves, or other friends. On the other hand, kids often do not know how to handle such a situation, need to learn how to work out this important issue, and if not careful lose a friend they would like to keep simply because the best friend forever gets to be too much. Writer Jarrett Krosoczka provides children an excellent tool in his work, My Buddy, Slug. Without becoming preachy, or insistent, Krosoczka tells of one child's situation with a friend who just never knew when to hang back for a while. When first I held up the book; my resident critics gave it an incredulous, horrified oblique glance and voiced unconditional consternation A SLUG! ' YOU'RE GOING TO READ A BOOK ABOUT A SLUG', 'A SLUG IS, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THOSE, SLIMY, YOU KNOW, THINGS's, was voiced gracefully in primordial screech. I turned to the first page and they, fourth grade, Wynona OK school, settled back to listen with as much open mind as they could gather together. The class does/did face their job as critics gravely. It did not take long before; the class was leaning forward, gazing raptly at the book and were noticeably drawn into the tale. As I closed the book; the kids agreed little kids will like it, but they won't really 'get' it. Each of my 4th grade students thought the book was a good choice for 'mature' fourth graders as well as the little kids in the target audience, ''because it helps us

My Buddy, Slug

Jarrett J. Krosoczka's latest title, "My Buddy, Slug," tackles a topic not often seen in picture books: What do you do when you see your best friend just a little too often? Alex has encountered just this problem: "It used to be Slug, Kevin, and me--the unstoppable three. Until Kevin moved away. Now it's just Slug and me...all the time." Alex sees Slug so often, that's he's dying for a little alone time. Slug is around every corner. He shows up at the dentist, at the mall, even for dinner. On one such occasion, Alex's mom invites Slug for a sleepover. Slug talks and talks. He tells jokes, stories, asks philosophical questions. And, Alex is beyond annoyed. The next morning Alex "had words" with his mother. He yells, "I'm sick of him!" You can guess who overhears this heated conversation and whose feelings are really, really hurt. I have absolutely no idea why Alex's best friend is a giant, orange slug, but Slug is awfully cute and colorful. Krosoczka's illustrations are as expressive as ever and the story he tells is, at the same time, unique and one every young school child will recognize. "My Buddy, Slug" is highly recommended for children ages 4-9.

Why, there are Slugs that know karate / There are Slugs as big as you

We've all had that friend who's very dear to us but once in a while gets on our nerves. It could be the co-worker who always talks about her gout or the college roommate that liked to jabber non-stop through movies. It's a problem that hits people of every age, race, gender, or persuasion. For adults, our ability to deal with such friends is a talent we've cultivated over the years. Kids, on the other hand, need to learn how to deal. For them, Jarrett Krosoczka has given them, "My Buddy, Slug". Well told without ever descending into preachiness, Krosoczka tells one boy's tale of the friend who just never knew when to quit. At first there were three friends: Kevin, Alex, and Slug. Then Kevin moved away and it was just Slug and Alex left. And that's fine, cause they are friends, after all. Such good friends, in fact, that they do everything together. School. Shopping. Homework. But when Alex wants some alone time, Slug just doesn't know how to take a hint. When he ends up at Alex's house eating dinner with the fam and staying the night, that's the last straw. Alex vents his frustration about his friend loudly enough that poor Slug gets his feelings hurt. Now Alex has to do the right thing if he ever wants to get back the only best friend he's got. A co-worker of mine read through this book and commented that he liked the matter-of-fact way in which this book dealt with the fact that Slug was a slug. It's funny, but this never even occurred to me. Like many of the kids who will come to read it, I accepted from page 1 that Alex's best friend was an approximately 5'6" neon orange invertebrate. I mean, the book certainly could have been written with Slug a kid, and many an author would have gone that route. It takes a particularly nice and twisted brain, however, to think up something, or someONE, as outrageous and friendly as Slug. A tip of the hat to the way Mr. Krosoczka's brain works. I do wonder what number of parents will pick up this book expecting it to be about a boy who creates a gigantic slug and the troubles that follow. For them, Krosoczka's tale can only come as a wonderful surprise. And I liked that the book addressed why it was that Slug follows Kevin around as closely as he does. When the two friends make up, Slug launches into his longest loudest speechifying yet. In it, he mentions that he probably wasn't giving Alex any alone time because he was afraid he'd lose him just as he already lost Kevin. A picture book that can justify the twists in its narrative. Whatta concept! Now as a librarian I did have to test the readaloud potential of the book. Some books are one-on-one books and some will hold a large crowd of first graders enrapt. "My Buddy, Slug", seems to fall right down the center. On the one hand the bright pictures and clear cut situations make it ideal readaloud material. On the other hand, Krosoczka's worked in so many witty little asides and snips of dialogue (particularly in that f