Journey to an 800 Number

by E.L. Konigsburg

THE CAMEL-KEEPER'S SON Maxmilian (also known as Bo) Stubbs's mother has just married a very rich man. Bo is looking forward to moving into his stepfather's big house and attending the snooty Fortnum School in the fall. Everything about Bo's new life is going to be first class, just like his new navy blazer with the Fortnum crest on the pocket.

But while his mother is on her honeymoon, Bo has to spend a month with his father Woody, an itinerant camel-keeper who entertains at shopping malls and conventions around the country. Woody is decidedly "not" first class, and neither is the eccentric cast of characters Bo meets on their travels. But Bo learns a lot from them that isn't taught at Fortnum...about love and loyalty and the art of pretending -- and that class and first class are not necessarily the same thing.

Genres: Fiction, Childrens, Young Adult, Middle Grade, Contemporary, Kids, Novels

144 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1982

About the author

Elaine Lobl Konigsburg was an American writer and illustrator of children's books and young adult fiction. She is one of six writers to win two Newbery Medals, the venerable American Library Association award for the year's "most distinguished contribution to American children's literature."
Konigsburg submitted her first two manuscripts to editor Jean E. Karl at Atheneum Publishers in 1966, and both were published in 1967: Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth, William McKinley, and Me, Elizabeth and From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler won the 1968 Newbery Medal, and Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth, William McKinley, and Me, Elizabeth was listed as a runner-up in the same year, making Konigsburg the only author to win the Newbery Medal and have another book listed as runner-up in the same year. She won again for The View from Saturday in 1997, 29 years later, the longest span between two Newberys awarded to one author.
For her contribution as a children's writer Konigsburg was U.S. nominee in 2006 for the biennial, international Hans Christian Andersen Award, the highest international recognition available to creators of children's books.

Reviews

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Konigsburg is the master of show, don't tell. The only way to understand how the boy is feeling, usually, is to figure how one's self might feel in a situation, and think about whether the character would likely feel the same way. It's very much a book told from the character's pov, not from a narrator's. For example, there are disrespectful ('politically incorrect') bits but that's because our boy is, as one adult observes, 'young for his age,' and he hasn't figured out empathy yet. This is for the young reader that is tired of being talked down to and can understand unreliable narrator, satire, gray ethics, etc.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favorite of the E.L. Konigsburg books. (I love Father's Arcane Daughter.) But a fun read. My favorite paragraph?

narrated by a pre-teen boy:
"I had to go to four trailers [because he's lost and looking for directions] before I found one lady-of-the house at home. She had a small baby and was actually nursing the baby when she answered the door. I had never seen anything like that in my life and I must say that it didn't give me a very high opinion of the trailer park class of people. To nurse a baby as if it were the most natural thing in the world."

As if! :)

And if nursing a baby makes you a trailer-park person, count me in!

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review also appears on my blog, Read-at-Home Mom.

E.L. Konigsburg is one strange lady. I've read enough of her books by now to know to expect some weirdness, but I think Journey to an 800 Number is by far her most unusual book. And also possibly one of the best.

Rainbow Maximillian Stubbs (sometimes called Bo, and sometimes called Max) normally lives with his mother, but she has just married a rich man named F. Hugo Malatesta the First and is on her honeymoon. Bo is therefore sent to travel with his dad, who roams the country selling rides on his camel Ahmed at fairs and conventions. While on the road, Bo clings to his jacket, which bears the crest of the fancy school he will attend in the Fall on his new stepfather's dime, using it as a testament to his brains and status in the world. As the days go by, however, his eyes are opened to the rest of the world, and he starts to make connections with people he previously would have seen as beneath him.

In particular, Bo connects with a girl named Sabrina, who goes to various conventions with her mother under assumed names. Sabrina collects information about freaks and is obsessed with the idea that every normal person pretends on a regular basis, while only freaks can be themselves all the time. The entire book is an exploration of identity and the various masks people wear to conceal who they truly are, or to blend in among those they would choose to befriend.

This is a really sophisticated children's book, and the only books I can think to compare it to are adult books. (Flannery O'Connor is the main author who came to my mind. I also kept thinking about Fight Club.) I don't even know who I'd recommend this book to. It's as old as I am, and thanks to references to parents who were hippies, parts of it are dated, and some of the slang didn't even really make sense to me. The main character also acts much older than his intended age, to the point of making very adult observations about the world around him. I don't think kids would necessarily see themselves in this story, or even know how to approach it.

The writing is typical Konigsburg, though. It has this certain attitude about it, and it's filled with these little throwaway lines that are actually quite brilliant insights about life. I have no idea where she gets these strange ideas for characters and settings, but I'm glad she has them, and that she writes them down. I'm not sure who the audience would be for a book like this now, but despite all its strangeness, I really liked it, and I'd be really curious to hear other opinions.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A striking little book by E.L. Koningsburg, perhaps far from her best but still excellent in its own right. Instead of getting quite as far into the heads of the characters in this one, we are made to observe what a learned pretension/shame complex look like from uncomfortably close quarters. The narration is first-person, yet we constantly see Bo as the other characters see him. The narration is extremely honest and straightforward, revealing Bo's unfiltered judgments and reactions. Bo is extremely quick to describe and label other people but not at all inclined to scrutinize his own decisions or emotions. Instead, he needs the other characters to push him to grow so that he can address the anxieties causing him to be so obsessed with class dynamics. A highly unusual childrens book.

Features a camel.

[Lgordo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very solid "fine." Snobby kid becomes more down-to-earth after meeting salt-of-the-earth hardscrabble types. Seemed a bit odd to me that a book for 4th graders included so much about out-of-wedlock babies. If a kid wasn't wondering how babies were made before reading this, they will definitely be asking after.

[Michael Fitzgerald · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this book is only six chapters, the first three were kind of meandering. Things pick up considerably in the second half, but I didn't find the conclusion to be very fulfilling.

[Luna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second E.L. Konigsburg book I've read, and there's something very peculiar about her writing style. I can't put my finger on it. There's a real 80s-ish feel to it all, which sounds strange, but there's a real sense of children's books that were written in the late 70s to the early 90s.

So the narrator of our novel, Max/Bo, suffers from Little Man Syndrome in that he's about 12 years old, and he's simultaneously much older for his age and much younger. He's a pretentious little shit who is too big for his own boots and wears his freaking school blazer for the whole trip he's on with his father. Seriously, someone buy this kid a freaking Ivy League school sweater, as no one cares about the school you go to on the other side of the country. Never mind that it's the height of summer in Texas, no wonder you pass out.

The story itself isn't hugely interesting. The only thing that did capture my attention was Sabrina's story and the 'secret' behind why she keeps popping up. Nothing shocking (I thought her mother was a sex phone operator, but I guess that'd be too raunchy), but still interesting and just a little bit sad.

One final thing- if this book were released in modern times, I can't see it being recommended for ages 9 - 14. There's a tiny bit of swearing, a touch of sexual innuendo and just enough that I can see people getting up in arms about it. Fun!

[Amy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm sure this review is completely unecessary because your library probably doesn't even have a copy, but this book is NOT recommended. It's a shame to have to deal with this in fourth grade, but Mary's reading group was supposed to read it. When she came home with concerns about bad words, I checked it out, and it has much more than just bad words. Nothing an elementary school student should be reading, anyway.

Update: Mary's teacher wasn't aware of the content, so she's changed their book and the library pulled it from their shelves. Yea for conscientious children!

[Joni · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised with this book. It was very cute and a fast read. I thought the main character was drawn very well and his awkwardness really added to the story without being too uncomfortable. I'm a big fan of Konisberg! I've yet to read something by her I didn't like.

[Cassandra Clarke]

This book had the greatest description of the Texas summer sun I have ever read:

"It didn't look like ordinary light. It looked as though if you touched it, it would punch you back."

Accurate.

[Shanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Max (AKA Bo) spends the summer with his father, who he barely knows. Max was raised on the grounds of a boys' private school, and has picked up a snobby attitude. He looks down on "commoners", including his father. After interacting with a variety of interesting and complicated characters, Max finally starts to figure out that life isn't black and white, and what's really important in life doesn't carry a dollar sign.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't know if today's kids would enjoy this quirky book from 1982 by the author of The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. They probably don't even know what an "800 Number" is. There are too many coincidences and it doesn't really make sense, but it is always surprising, weird and imaginative. And I added one star for Ahmed the camel.

[Greta · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this one, and I can’t quite put my finger on why. Part of it is that it’s an honest perspective from a child this age, without being “child-friendly.” The narrator is smart but gets in trouble for it. He’s judgmental and learns that he shouldn’t be. And he uses the word “tits.”

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute and entertaining. Her characters are always great with words and conversations.
The ending was a little lacking, but overall a fun read.

[James Vachowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

The late, great E.L. Konigsburg wrote at least fifteen books during her time. She’s best known for “From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler”, which is a staple on school reading lists. Don’t get me wrong, I loved that book too, but today I want to highlight my absolute favorite book of hers, “Journey to an 800 Number”. This is one of those books where I got to the end and couldn’t tell exactly what I had just read, but I sure knew that I had enjoyed it!

Maximillian “Bo” Stubbs is a prep school student who lives with his mother, who recently remarried. He’s excited about moving in with his rich stepfather and living a life of luxury…but not until the month-long honeymoon is over! In the meantime, Bo will be staying with his father Woody, a traveling man who owns a camel and makes a living by showing the animal at trade shows and carnivals. To complicate matters even more, Bo keeps bumping into a girl named Chloe, whose mother bounces between trade shows and forges checks to pay their way!

This is one of Konigsburg’s lesser-known novels, so it might be a little hard to find at first. Check your library for a copy, or maybe your local used book store. It’s worth the search, though, since this book seems to be all about people who are searching for their identities. I don’t want to ruin any of the ending with spoilers, but it almost seemed like Woody was the only one who was really at peace with himself. He knew that he would always be nothing more than a man who owned a camel, but he seemed to be content with that.

This book is offbeat, quirky, and definitely worth the short amount of time it takes to read. Even if you don’t enjoy it as much as “Basil E. Frankweiler” or “The View From Saturday”, that’s completely okay. Just because it’s my favorite of her books, that doesn’t it has to be yours too. Remember, the whole point of this project is to highlight those books that young men might not have heard of! If you’ve opened yourself up to reading something new, then our mission has been accomplished!

To learn more about the books that boys like, please be sure to check out my new website at http://booksboyslike.blogspot.com/

[Christina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm happy to read anything written by Konigsburg because her kid characters are smart and sassy, and her plot twists are original. The premise of this book is a bit ridiculous, though. Maxmillian "Bo" Stubbs is sent to spend the summer with his small-town camel-exhibitor father while his mother is on her honeymoon with the rich man she married in order to pay Max's tuition to his hoity-toity private school. During his summer in middle America, he meets Sabrina, a girl whose mom sneaks them into summer business conventions for the free room and board, and he realizes that his father is a "big" man with many friends despite his lowly occupation. The title is a reference to the fact that Sabrina's mom is an anonymous 800 operator during the year; however, since Max begins to understand himself better and overcomes his disdain for working-class America, the title seems a bit misplaced. The book ended abruptly on page 134, but I wanted more. I would have liked to read about Max's readjustment to his life of privilege to see if the lessons of the summer really changed him.

[Gale · Rating 3 out of 5]

SEEKING OUT THE WORLD'S BEST DAD

Young Max is furious that his mother has dumped him on his camel-driving father for the summer, while she is off honeymooning with a much older husband. Barely civil to his eager father
because of his vagabond existence and his lowlife companions,
Max learns more valuable lessons on the road than he did at the fancy private school he attends.

As he makes the rounds of malls, fairs and conventions with his father, Max discovers how to identify Real people from the cons and the snobs--how to sort out the freaks from the phonies. But will he ever become comfortable with the fact that his father is just a regular guy with an usual lifestyle? Having sought out a lman who is mroe than jsut a kpovoice atoneend of hte line Max struggles to accept a broader definition of Family. A clever story which will entertain intermediate students.

(April 19, 2020. I welcome dialogue with teachers.)

[Josiah · Rating 3 out of 5]

As with all of E.L. Konigsburg's stories, this one is populated with strong, fiercely independent characters that, regardless of their few years of life, stand up well on their own two feet and are possessed of a formidable intellect to analyze the happenings and the people around them with wit, honesty, and a high level of smarts.

There's a lot of good material in Journey to an 800 Number, lined with sapient insights that ornament the text beautifully and make me appreciate the masterful skills of E.L. Konigsburg all over again. The story is highly original and creative, not following after the typical routes in which the narrative might have been pulled, but rather forging its own path toward a lastingly meaningful and well-wrought conclusion. This is a good book, one that I very much am glad to have read.

[dirt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not so much a journey to an 800 number, but more coincidentally bumping into an 800 number. Another story of a stuck up preppy kid being brought down to earth, which would have been tiring had it not been told with the humor of E.L. Konigsburg.

The theme of this book is that we all pretend to be something else throughout the course of our lives. Which is very similar of the theme of secrets in From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs Basil E. Frankweiler, but not quite.

[Mr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maxmillian(also known as Bo)Stubbs has a mother who recently married a rather rich man. he is very much looking forward to moving into his new stepfathers huge house and going to a snotty kids school called, Fortnum, in the fall. everything in his life will be first class, just like the new navy Fortnum school blazer. but when his mom is on her honeymoon he spends a month with his father, Woody, a camel-keeper who entertains at malls and many conventions around the continental states. woody is obviously not first class, but while he stays with his father he learns something that they don't teach at Fortnum, love, loyalty, and pretending.

[Jacob · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the kind of book I would probably write, if someone commissioned me to write a middle-grade novel. From what I can remember of this book from the one time I read it a little over three years ago, it was quirky and slight with engaging characters and Konigsburg's usual wonderful writing. The plot itself wasn't much--laden with tropes, serviced with generalizations, generally predictable--but it worked well enough. Three stars.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining, but definitely on a different level than her award-winning books (which are some of my favorites, like _Mixed-Up Files_). Perhaps the characters needed to be more fully fleshed out, and some of the situations seemed rushed - one of the things I enjoyed best about Mixed-Up is that things were really well-thought out and the story helped develop the characters.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a big fan of Konigsburg's other works and I pleasantly enjoyed this book! E.L. Konisburg's characters are always sassy, sometimes snarky but otherwise fun. This is a story of friendship and love between some very different people. I'd recommend this book for just a joy - read and cherish and also, when your kids are grown (whenever they're ready), recommend it to them. Hope you enjoy!

[Hillary · Rating 2 out of 5]

more kids than YA, but good for a younger YA pick. while i love Konigsburg (the two other books i've read by her), this was not my favorite, though quite fine. though i find it's quite nice to find an author enamoured of eccentric characters.

[Lisa the Librarian · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am a big fan of the author, but found this book to be the weakest of any of hers.

Meant to be a bit of an epic journey between father and son, it felt a bit flat and predictable. I was disappointed

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

E.L. Konigsburg is under-read and under-appreciated, for sure. If you like From the Mixed-Up Files... then you should try this coming-of-age-in-a-camper story.

[Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

pretty good. you cant just skim it. you have to actually read it otherwise things wont make sense.

[Kristin · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a quirky book! It was a quick, intriguing read, but there was swearing, and that always turns me off, esp in a children's book!

[Callie · Rating 1 out of 5]

reeally hard to get into , but an okay story

[Ron · Rating 4 out of 5]

My son continues to read us through E. L. Konigsburg.. This time it is a tale of self-discovery by an early teen-aged boy who meets up with an intriguing daughter-mother duo.