The TV Kid

by Betsy Byars

Lennie is addicted to television. Even reruns are more exciting than real life, and Lennie likes to pretend he's the one experiencing the drama. But Lennie's daydreams lead him into a real situation that could cost him his life—and suddenly he is in trouble more terrifying and dangerous than anything he has ever seen on TV. Byars infuses the story with her special magic. Lennie is a likable, funny, moving, and always entertaining character. Publishers Weekly

Genres: Childrens, Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Middle Grade, Juvenile, Young Adult, Novels

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1976

About the author

Betsy Byars was an American author of children's books. She wrote over sixty books for young people. Her first novel was published in 1962. Her novel Summer of the Swans won the 1971 Newbery Medal. She also received a National Book Award for Young People's Literature for The Night Swimmers and an Edgar Award for Wanted ... Mud Blossom!!

Daughters Betsy Duffey and Laurie Myers are also writers.

Reviews

[Nicole]

Another melancholy kids' tale from my favorite children's author. The overall moral (tv isn't real, and you shouldn't take it too seriously) is a bit obvious and heavy-handed, but not enough to ruin the book. The main appeal of the story is in the way Byers paints very specific pictures of surroundings, in a way that sets a particular mood. For example, although I read this book over two decades ago, certain motifs, such as the figurines in front of the inn, and the way the abandoned vacation house looked, still stay with me. There's a bit of a gruesome part involving a snake bite - in fact, it's what I still picture to this day when I hear of a snake bite - but it's not too intense for older kids. Although this is ostensibly a kids' book, I would recommend it for older readers as well.

[Elham]

A well-written story of how TV can spoil a teenager's life and how it can induce a fake picture of reality.

[Deborah Horton]

Short and funny read! Shows how things taken too far like living for the sake of watching too much television can make you forget to live out your life. Good reminder that everything should be done in moderation. I did like the references to Looney Tunes and Star Trek as well haha.

[Spider the Doof Warrior]

Just finished this again yesterday. Betsy Byars is a good writer. She gets you into a child's head and you sympathize with this child and how they feel. The characters in her books move forward and develop and you know when you get to that last page they've learned a lesson. In this case, young Lennie learns about reality vs. television and learns to prefer reality even though he got bit by a snake.

But to be fair, snakes are not evil. Also, http://firstaid.webmd.com/snakebite-t... if you get bitten by a rattle snake do NOT actually follow the advice in this book. Don't cut the bites, do not suck out the venom, do not use a tourniquet.

[Kent Clark]

I read this as a kid and enjoyed it. Nostalgia prompted me to read it again. I still enjoyed it but found different things popping out at me than back then. To be expected after 40 years.

[Susan]

All Lennie wanted to do was watch TV, and when he wasn't watching TV, he was daydreaming about being on different TV shows. He and his mom and moved around a lot and he didn't have any friends, so the TV was his family and his life. Then a terrible thing happened to him that made him realize that TV was fake and that his life was much more interesting.

This is an okay book with a good moral. I got tired of Lennie daydreaming all of the time about TV shows, though.

[Danielle]

Continued my journey of reading books I remember from elementary school with this one. This and Hatchet stuck out in my mind for some reason, but the only thing I could remember from this was the snake bite. Has a bell of a time finding the title when all I could search was “kid gets bitten by snake,” ha.

[Lizzy]

Pfft. Who's going to take this seriously? It's written for mum's who don't approve of TV. Lennie is unbelievable, and labours the message.

[Julia971]

An ok easy read for mid schoolers about the line to draw between reality and fiction, and about school, achievement. It fell a little flat for me as an adult but I'm sure it wil cheer some teen's minds.

[Derelict Space Sheep]

Short book. Short chapters. Byars again creates a relatable MG character with life issues. In this instance, however, it’s not clear whether she’s advocating imagination (albeit TV-fuelled, not dissimilar from the escapism of The Cartoonist) or the maturing benefits of real-world experience.

[Zombie_Phreak]

This is a good quick read.

It's entertaining and it's got a good message that TV, entertaining as it may be, is not real life. Watch your fav shows, enjoy them, but go out and enjoy life, there's more to it than just your favorite sitcom.

[Josiah]

"All a person can hope to get in this life is one good chance."

—Lennie's mother, "The TV Kid", P. 31

I would give this book two and a half stars, most likely.
Betsy Byars takes some interesting routes in the writing of this volume. A great deal of the story takes place without the aid of dialogue, yet Lennie's personal thoughts carry the narrative well, allowing us to get a glimpse into the mind of a kid faced with a major crisis, and to see just how such events affect his thoughts and feelings.
There is quite a bit of good to this unique and interesting book. Lennie is likable and very much his own boy, capable of and willing to view the world through eyes that are just plain different from those of most others. For that reason alone I could identify with him, and with his feelings of not fitting in that just seemed to follow him around throughout his life.
In my view, "The TV Kid" is a good story, and I liked reading it.

[Jordie]

I've covered how brilliant Betsy Byars' writing is in other reviews. Her writing style alone is strong enough to recommend this book. There's not been a more honest writer. She is completely dedicated to her characters, to her story. The characters and scenarios are so life-like that sometimes you'll suddenly realize you'd forgotten the real world.

This book focuses on the lure of television, and how it can cause harm with overindulgence (as books can surely do as well). Of course we all know this, even those of us madly in love with TV. But the lesson is told in a non-judgemental way so unique here that it still surprised me. It was just... interesting. And inspiring.

Byars' early books are out-of-print and difficult to find. When you find them, cherish them, for your children's sake (and possibly your children's children, though by that time the books will likely be too out-of-date to be relatable).

[Captain Awesome]

I didn't enjoy this book one bit. The main Character was too spoiled and annoying that I couldn't get into it let alone like it. It is my personal preference, but for future readers contemplating whether to read this I would suggest to not read this.

[Aaron S]

it was a good book when i was a kid, and that's all i have to say.

[Rory]

A childhood favorite, and the edition I read often back then. Just reading it again to see what parts of me has changed since then.

[Jenn]

My kids did not enjoy this as much as I did as a child.

[Kuhelika]

Quite an enigmatic read!! It was a very different sort of book but all the same refreshing!!

[Nikki Boisture]

Betsy Byars is always a reliable source of good books for the kiddos. This is no exception. Great for the 8-12 age.

[Dawn]

I liked hearing about the rattlesnake bite. I thought it was cool.

[Becky S.]

Too much tv is a bad thing.

[Tenecia Abbott]

This book was amazing. I love the way the author turns a boys sorry life, into an extraordinary life of television .

[Seth Thomas]

its a great book

[Cws]

JAR4-Bya