Getting to Know Ruben Plotnick
Roz Rosenbluth
(Reviewer - Rebecca Brown)
2005 Flashlight Press
ISBN: 0972922555

What will happen to David's life when the coolest kid in class invites himself over?

‘The Plotnick’ is everything David's not: a boy with funny & kooky behavior, seemingly always to be goofing off... & he always knows the answers to the teacher's questions. Everyone wants to be his friend.

So when Ruben wants to come over to study after school, David's suddenly unsure of how he will take to his family.

You see, David's Grandma Rosie forgets things, & she plays checkers with Grandpa Nate & argues with him too, & he died five years ago! Still, she makes the best cookies & knows the words to tons of old songs, & boy, can she dance!

So there's Ruben Plotnick, the class clown, in the same house with David's grandmother, & suddenly all sorts of strange things are happening. Ruben's sitting in the kitchen sink blowing bubbles into a milk & cookie drink, & Grandma Rosie wants to waltz. Ruben doesn't bat an eye, gets out of the sink, wipes his hands, & they're off!

David's worried Ruben will shame him in front of his class -- except he doesn't. & later, at family dinner, Grandma Rosie wants to dance with the “little boy in the sink”... & only David knows what she means.

Getting to Know Ruben Plotnick is a delightful tale with gladsome pictures by Maurie J. Manning, about how kids see their families & what makes a friend.

More from Roz Rosenbluth:
The Crowded House
The Land of Peek-A-Boo & more!

More from Maurie J. Manning:
The Aunts Go Marching
Water Everywhere!
(04/23/06)

Rebecca