Teddy Mars

January 12, 2015
Fourth-grader Teddy Mars shares moments from his hopeful but often disappointing life in Burnham’s highly entertaining debut. Much of Teddy’s life revolves around four elements: his four-year-old brother, Jake (“The Destructor”), who is constantly ruining things for him; his quest to hold a world record (in anything); his admiration for pigeons; and his obsession with Star Wars. When Teddy’s birthday doesn’t turn out quite as expected, he decides to ditch his six siblings, each with quirks he can live without, and move into a backyard tent. An older neighbor, dubbed “Grumpy Pigeon Man,” suddenly takes an interest in Teddy and offers him a job caring for the pigeons he keeps. A heartwarming friendship blossoms between the two unlikely companions as Teddy learns that wisdom and affection are not ruled by age. Delightfully rambunctious b&w sketches (not all seen by PW) elevate the comedy, while Teddy’s hard-nosed perseverance (attempting the largest leaf pile, stretching the most rubber bands over his face, etc.), with the aid of friends new and old, takes world record–making to hilarious new heights. Ages 8–12. Author’s agent: Tina Wexler, ICM.

January 1, 2015

Gr 3-6-Though Burnham breaks no new ground here, this is nevertheless an appealing tale with an engaging narrator. Ten-year-old Teddy Mars, the sixth of seven children, wants to stand out from his siblings and do something meaningful. Unfortunately, in addition to having five older sisters (a singer, twins, a sports addict, and a bully), he is plagued by an energetic younger brother whom he rightly calls, The Destructor. Little brother Jake adores Teddy but expresses his feelings by ruining most of his older sibling's prized possessions. Teddy's solution is to move out of their shared bedroom and into a tent in the backyard. He also finds respite in reading "Guinness World Records" books and in helping an old neighbor with his homing pigeons. Those two pastimes come together as Teddy attempts to set his own world record. His actual accomplishment won't come as a surprise to astute readers, but Teddy is so amiable and put-upon, he'll find plenty of fans who'll want to read more in the promised series. The book's format, with monthly chapters divided into smaller subchapters, makes this a good choice for reading logs, and the report Teddy has to do on pigeons makes this book an ideal pairing with a nonfiction title on these urban birds.-Marie Drucker, Malverne Public Library, NY

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