What? You Think You Got It Rough?

by Christopher Paul Curtis, Jon Scieszka, Adam Rex (Illustrator)

Kids. They think they got it so rough these days. But nobody has it worse than Papa Red did when he was a kid. And you better listen up when he talks. A short story from the acclaimed collection Guys Funny Business, edited by Jon Scieszka.

Genres: Short Stories

288 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 22, 2010

About the author

Curtis was born in Flint, Michigan on May 10, 1953 to Dr. Herman Elmer Curtis, a chiropodist, and Leslie Jane Curtis, an educator. The city of Flint plays an important role in many of Curtis's books. One such example is Bucking the Sarge, which is about a fifteen year old boy named Luther T. Ferrel, who is in a running battle with his slum-lord mother. Curtis is an alumnus of the University of Michigan-Flint.

Curtis is the father of two children, Steven, an ensign in the United States Navy, and Cydney, a college student and accomplished pianist. His third child is expected to make an appearance in 2011. Christopher modeled characters in Bud, Not Buddy after his two grandfathers—Earl “Lefty” Lewis, a Negro league baseball pitcher, and 1930s bandleader Herman E. Curtis, Sr., of Herman Curtis and the Dusky Devastators of the Depression.

Curtis moved to Detroit, Michigan in January, 2009

Reviews

[Nickie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Definitely not my cup of tea. The story is a story inside a story. It is really disturbing and overall didn't enjoy it.

[Tanner M · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a really good book because it takes you back to the old days, and tells you how grateful you should be for your life. It tells how a grandpa who describes his childhood got beat and had a hard life.

[Mrs. Schuld · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not my jam.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, well, well. Had no trouble concentrating on this story. Well done. But things were rough for me. I don’t think it, I know it. Most people had it rough or do have it rough! Well done. CathyR

[Eugene · Rating 4 out of 5]

My 10 year old son was complaining about my book selections lately being rather on the girly side, and this short book was exactly what we needed for a few nights of fun reading and male bonding.