Henry Hubble's Book of Troubles

November 24, 2014
Readers have much to gain when nothing goes right for Henry Harrison Hubble in this laugh-out-loud journal-style account of his sixth-grade life. Socially awkward Henry, named for the president who died after 32 days in office, takes pride in his poetic and artistic talents (he wants to be the “next Shel Silverstein, that bald guy who wrote all those funny poems”), even as his daily life suffers from an eclectic assortment of troubles that will make most kids’ adolescence seem glorious. With brutal honesty and endearing wide-eyed cluelessness, Henry chronicles important events, including the time he brought a live squirrel to school for his science project and when he snuck into the attic to find his great-great-great-great grandmother’s container of dried dog poop, which belonged to Harrison. But when one bully goes too far, Henry learns to stand up for what’s right, even if it lands him in more trouble. Myer (Delia’s Day Off) fills the pages with b&w drawings to accompany Henry’s musings, creating another dimension of sympathetic hilarity as readers giggle at and commiserate with his comically chaotic existence. Ages 9–12. Agent: Deborah Warren, East/West Literary Agency.

December 1, 2014
Middle schooler Henry Harrison Hubble keeps an occasional "pretty personal" journal, but when it's stolen and pages are posted on social media, he has to take drastic action.Judging by the contents of his backpack (one of his troubles), Henry is in the eighth grade in school, but he's years behind in social skills and sense of humor. Fascinated by the fact that he was named after the ninth U.S. president, he's particularly pleased with his family's special connection: They own a (now dried-up and bottled) turd from Harrison's dog. Henry makes a variety of unwise choices that lead to troubles on a whale-watching field trip, at Halloween, in the lunchroom and in science class. Forging his mother's name on a discipline slip leads to a grounding and actually seeing the historic turd, but he's eventually released for other troubles: a Valentine's Day dance and the loss of his journal. Like many other titles aimed at the middle-grade reader, this purports to be the diary of a budding cartoonist. Henry's first-person narrative is accompanied by black-and-white drawings. He also includes some (convincingly child-written) poems. The genuine issue in Henry's story is lost in the bathroom humor, which fourth graders will probably love. For readers who've exhausted the Wimpy Kid series, an acceptable follow-up. (Fiction. 8-11)

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January 1, 2015

Gr 5-8-Henry Hubble is yet another hapless kid with a pen and notebook who records his daily misadventures in words and drawings. The sixth grader's claim to fame is that a distant relative lived next door to former President William H. Harrison. Harrison's dog would do its business in the distant relative's yard, which is why Henry is in possession of a fossilized piece of dog poo from the 1800s. This is, perhaps, what makes Henry most memorable-which isn't necessarily a good thing. As one might expect from a kid whose prized possession is a piece of feces, things often go wrong. Most of Henry's journal entries are descriptions of some embarrassing experience, like the disastrous school field trip where he vomits in the hotel swimming pool. There's a vague over-arching plot thread about a bully stealing Henry's journal and using it to embarrass him and then Henry's triumphant (if somewhat corny and cliched) retaliation. He's an aspiring cartoonist, so his journal is peppered with rudimentary line drawings reminiscent of Quentin Blake's artwork. He also admires Shel Silverstein, so corny poems are a staple of his writing. Henry's material is funny at times, but it mostly comes off as derivative. Indeed, the tone and writing style are such that Henry could be Greg Heffley's less-funny cousin. Ultimately, this is a forgettable entry in the already over-crowded genre of goofy, diary-format books.-Amy Holland, Irondequoit Public Library, NY

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