I never read anything by Schizeka but I enjoyed his comedy routine and was really excited to read his humorous memoir for children appropriately called Knucklehead.

Description: In a response to one of his most frequently asked question, where do you get your ideas?, Jon Scieszka Presents a memoir of what it was like to grow up in the 1950s and other almost true stories.

Review: Well written autobiographies that are a pleasure to read are hard to find, especially with younger readers. Knuckelhead is a delightful and hilarious memoir that I think both young and older readers will thoroughly enjoy. Jon Scieszka writes about growing up in Flint, Michigan with his parents and five brothers with his down to earth personality shining through. Each brief chapter is sparsely illustrated with family photographs and clipart, which will appeal even to reluctant readers. Scieszka writes about his love of reading that continued as he grew older. Scieszka's humor along with events that we all went through in childhood such as fooling our siblings and driving our parents is what makes this book such a fun read. I read Knucklehead in a couple of hours because I wanted to keep turning the pages to see what craziness he and his brothers will pull next. Readers looking for a genre break or even want to attempt nonfiction narrative should definitely pick this book up.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is some bathroom humor in the book. In fifth grade Scieszka's class got in trouble when they were swearing on the playground. As a punishment they couldn't leave the classroom until they wrote down all the swear words they knew. The scene is handled with humor, but several words may not be appropriate for a younger reader. Recommended for Grades 3 and up.

If you like this book try: Boy by Roald Dahl, Bill Peet: An Autobiography by Bill Peet, or The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson