Abstract

Reviewed by: Out of Patience Karen Coats Meehl, Brian Out of Patience. Delacorte, 2006292p Library ed. ISBN 0-385-90320-0$17.99 Trade ed. ISBN 0-385-73299-6$15.95 R Gr. 6-9 Patience, Kansas has been under a curse ever since Jeremiah Waters had the audacity to install the first flush toilet west of the Mississippi for his new bride. Townsfolk are suspicious, and sure enough, the darn thing clogs, causing Jeremiah to invent the first plunger. After a foiled robbery attempt ends in the loss of all of the town's valuables as well as the plunger (now known as the Plunger of Destiny or the Scepter of Satan), a religious zealot predicts that its return to Patience will mark the beginning of the end. Over a hundred years later, Jake Waters' dad, ever in search of artifacts for what he hopes will become the first American Toilet Museum (a major embarrassment for Jake, who longs to escape the stigma of his toilet-saturated heritage), purchases the plunger on eBay. From that point, things go from bad to worse to downright apocalyptic for the town of Patience. Hailstorms and a tornado rain down cosmic vengeance on Patience, while the head of the EPA, a descendent of the zealous prophet, attempts to destroy the town in her own way by shutting down the fertilizer plant that represents Patience's only industry. An entertaining amalgam of Sachar's Holes (BCCB 9/98) and Hiaasen's Hoot (BCCB 11/02) (or perhaps, to be more scatologically precise, Hiaasen's more recent Flush, BCCB 10/05), this offering features the curse, the treasure, and the avenging descendents of the former and the environmental concerns of the latter. While it doesn't have the mythic sensibilities or metaphoric resonances of Holes, it does include well-drawn characters, page-turning action, and lively prose peppered with dry humor and potty history. Even reluctant readers will enjoy Jake's journey toward acceptance of his dubious legacy as member of a family that has made good through hardship and hardware. Copyright © 2006 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.