The Wonder Kid

by Zachary Shuster Harmsworth Literary Agency, George Harrar, Aamna Qureshi

It's 1954, a year when polio, known as the great crippler of children, terrified parents.Jesse's mom won't let him go to the playground or hang out with friends for fear that he will catch the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0618563172
• ISBN13: 9780618563173
• Release Date: April 2006
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
• Length: 245 Pages
• Weight: 0.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 5.4" x 7.2"
• Age Range: 9 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 4 to 7

Customer Reviews

A Great Book for Kids!

This is a great book. I liked it alot because it was very interesting. It was about a boy who got polio one summer and his biggest fear about polio was getting the iron lung. The boy goes to school and is like a normal kid until he gets polio. People thought that polio was an airborn viris so no one visited him except for one little girl who becomes very good friends with the boy. The author of this book came in to talk to my book group after we read this book. He told us even more about polio and how people caught it (there wasn't much he could tell us that we didn't already know from the book). I would recomend this book to any kid, boy or girl. George Harrar (the author) has also written many other books for adults and kids. There is a book about the molasses flood, there's a mystery book, alot of good books for grown-ups and teens, and many other different books by George Harrar. Something to please everyone! The Wonder Kid would be a great gift for the Holidays!

Messages from the Wonder Kid

The Wonder Kid had a great growing up message for children and parents. Everyone faces adversity at times and in many different forms, this book gives encouragement to young and old to hang in there and do your best.Always try to get to know the real person not just your first impression. It is also a good lesson in dealing with people with differences, kids and adults need to hear this message, and be active in living it.

I loved this book

This was a really good book. I liked it because it told about how someone got polio and was afraid to go into an iron lung. But he eventually got better and was able to walk again. The most exciting and surprising part was during the hurricane. His Mom got hurt by flying dishes and then he saved her. I also liked the part about his drawing comics. I draw comics too. But he was able to sell his to a newspaper and got $5.00 for them. That was a lot of money in the 1950's. Another interesting part of the book was how things were in the 1950's. They didn't have all the technological stuff we have today. TV was only in black and white and only on until 9PM. I'm twelve years old and thought this was a great book. I'm going to see if the author has written any other books. He's a good writer.

The Wonder Kid

What a wonderful book George Harrar was written for young adults! But adults will enjoy it too! This is a wonderful story about youg Jesse who is stricken by polio in 1954. It gives the reader an insight into growing up in that decade and the horrible disease that polio was for so many. Those of us who knew people with the disease will relate to Jesse and those too young to remember polio will find this story an inspiration.